ECP has been working closely with the team at Gerald R. Ford International Airport(GRR) for the last five years.
In 2021, Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) hired Extra Credit Projects (ECP), a Midwest-based creative marketing firm, to manage and grow their brand. ECP has a history of successfully shaping brands by creating compelling ads and messaging that deliver results.
Initially, the airport had a number of key marketing objectives: keep load factors high on the best performing routes, and increase load factor on specific routes. ECP has helped them grow to over 4 million annual passengers in a competitive market, becoming a nationally recognized small-hub airport in West Michigan and USA Today’s Best Small Airport twice in the last three years.
Industry Solutions
Our team understands the nuances of the industry. We listen to specific needs and pain points, then develop creative solutions to solve them. In partnership with GRR, we achieve results by targeting audience demographics to promote nonstop routes, creating strategies to reduce leakage and increase onsite parking, and using on-premises messaging to enhance the guest experience and increase total sales.
Promote nonstop routes.
Reduce leakage.
Increase onsite parking.
Enhance the guest experience.
Increase total sales.
A Seasonal Focus Drives Results
Targeting consumers with messages aligned with booking curves and promoting nonstop routes during peak tourist seasons will always be critical. Also, using specific industry language (e.g., “nonstop” vs. “direct”) and developing compelling reasons to fly year-round is critical.
Enhancing the Guest Experience
It’s not always just about the destination. We have had great success creating digital and on-premises campaigns to promote ease and convenience, onsite amenities and concessions elevates the entire airport experience.
Parking is the Sweet Spot
We understand that significant revenue for small hub airports comes from parking. The airport asked us to help promote the variety of parking options and increase usage. We developed a multimedia campaign to target passengers during their travel booking journey and combat rideshare options by targeting consumers who had recently shown interest in travel with ads on competitor apps like Uber and Lyft. The campaign increased awareness for all the various parking options the GRR airport offers and more than doubled parking reservations.
Extra Credit Media is Our Co-Pilot
Our seamless in-house integration of creative ideation and media planning ensures that the message reaches the right audience at the right time. With Extra Credit Media, you have better control over your outcomes, gain full accountability and transparency, and work directly with a single point-of-contact instead of contacting different reps for every medium. Extra Credit Media has delivered measurable campaign outcomes for the airport over the last five years, including:
16%
increase in passengers
since 2019
28K
social media engagements
since 2021
.14%
average display advertising CTR
0.6% industry average
67
regional and national awards
including the ACI‑NA Peggy G. Hereford award for overall excellence
Find out more.
This page features a selection of advertising campaign highlights developed over the years in collaboration with Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Reach out to us using the form below to learn more about Extra Credit Projects or click below to see additional creative work.