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Carson: Pre-Season Opener in the Big Easy
After a few months “vacation” I hope you guys are excited for the start of the football season. It’s been a busy off-season for me, namely working hard to get healthy and preparing for what I hope to be a great 2009 season.
This past weekend we opened up the pre-season in New Orleans. My buddy, Corey Vavala, lives down there and he picked up my brother and I and gave us the insider’s tour of New Orleans. We drove down Bourbon Street and could see all the people getting cranked up for the first Saints home game (we also saw this lady who dresses her dog exactly like her… I gave her a high five because she was wearing Bengals colors). After Bourbon Street we drove through the French Quarter and you could just feel the history and tradition in the air. As we approached the bridge heading into the lower 9th Ward, Corey prepped us for the range of emotions we were expected to feel. The sadness was almost immediate as we saw about 15 standing houses in a place where there were previously thousands. Brad Pitt and Oprah are trying to do a lot to restore New Orleans but there is still so far to go. The mass amount of destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina definitely stung both Jordan and I with an array of emotions. Hearing it was one thing… but seeing it was something else.
After our tour we decided to get some good old Cajun cooking and headed to a place called Palace Cafe. The food was amazing. Everything from the fried alligator to the crab claws, the gumbo, the cheesecake… it was phenomenal. I’ve now crowned New Orleans as my favorite city to eat and want suggestions for my next time back there! Anyone?
I finally checked out of Georgetown College (where our training camp is and where they were filming Hard Knocks for HBO) and got to see my wife and kids for the first time in 2.5 weeks. In case you didn’t know, my wife and I had newborns earlier this year (a boy and a girl) and they’ve been quite a handful. As first time parents, we’ve definitely had our work cut out for us. I encourage any and all advice from those of you out there that have twins! Without question, they’re tougher than anything I’ve ever experienced in football (and a lot more rewarding)! I swear, in the two and a half weeks I was away, they grew and changed so much. They were a lot less excited to see me as I was to see them!
I’d also like to point out how wonderful Delta has been for us as new parents. My wife had to travel alone with both babies and Delta was unbelievably helpful not only letting parents with kids board early but also helping my wife get situated with the two kids. It’s something that I truly appreciated when I was in training camp and she called so impressed with the service. Then again, since they’ve been so wonderful in the past when we traveled with our Rottweiler, Homer, I wasn’t expecting anything less.
Keep on the lookout for more blogs from me throughout the year. I hope you are all well out there and make sure to send me questions!
Who Dey!
Carson Palmer
Quarterback
Cincinnati Bengals
Forrester Groundswell Awards
We’re applying for the Forrester Groundswell Awards! Learn more here.
UNDER THE WING & BEHIND THE SCENES
Now celebrating it second birthday, Delta’s blog “Under the Wing” serves as an effective medium to maintain open and direct conversations with its target audience: Delta frequent flyers, customers worldwide and industry insiders.
Delta is the world’s number one airline and is more focused than ever on engaging its customers. As such, Under the Wing is an essential communications vehicle and provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the company’s operations, destinations and marketing initiatives. Authors on blog.delta.com range from celebrities to Delta flight attendants, executives, aircraft maintenance employees, front-line representatives and many others.
Under the Wing is a key platform used to announce major company milestones, specifically Delta’s merger with Northwest Airlines and the airline’s revamped safety video, which features the now-famous “Deltalina” and garnered more than 1.4 million views on YouTube. Under the Wing also updates customers on Delta’s biggest initiatives, including mobile check in, in-flight Wi-Fi, upgraded airport kiosks, and updates to the SkyMiles program. In addition to supporting corporate initiatives, the blog offers Delta history and trivia, travel tips from flight attendants, and links to its active Flickr photostream, YouTube channel and Twitter feed.
BLOG BEGINNINGS
Delta launched Under the Wing in August 2007 with the following campaign objectives: increase incremental site traffic to delta.com; foster increased brand awareness and loyalty; communicate corporate news and initiatives that reflect the airline’s personality; and extend conversations from marketing efforts, news and promotions in order to gather feedback on customer needs.
It was a rare move for a traditionally conservative industry, but Delta worked internally to develop an organic posting process that met legal requirements yet still reflected its brand personality. And with more than 70,000 employees, maintaining this process would be no easy feat. So, the company developed a Wiki to generate post ideas and detail the posting process and schedule.
Under the Wing has evolved into a fundamental component within the airline’s communication strategy. Delta utilizes it to effectively engage in conversation with its readers in a candid and transparent manner about topics that are essential to the airline’s success. This conversation begins with the post and continues through comments, and when applicable, responses from executives and Delta representatives to address specific issues. Through this dialogue, Delta can better understand customer needs and how the airline can improve corporate initiatives.
BY THE NUMBERS
The numbers speak volumes about Under the Wing’s success in helping Delta achieve corporate goals:
• With almost 1 million visits to blog.delta.com and an average of 30,000 unique visitors per month, the blog serves as a growing tactic in driving incremental traffic to delta.com since its 2007 launch.
• Enabled Delta to communicate directly with customers about corporate news and initiatives. For example, Delta found that its New York customers have a great affinity for the Yankees and Mets. When the airline set its sights on becoming the largest carrier in New York, Delta utilized this knowledge and became the “Official Airline of New York Baseball.” Under the Wing serves as a main communication driver behind this effort, posting regular updates on its Mets and Yankees sponsorship as well as other New York City happenings. As a result, Delta was able to build brand awareness in the market, and in fact, two percent more customers identified Delta as the airline gaining popularity in New York, while Continental and U.S. Airways experienced an 11 and 7 percent drop respectively.
• Increased visibility of Delta’s brand and garnered a significant presence within the blog realm, taking home a 2009 PRSA Bronze Anvil Award, 2009 IAVA Communicator Award of Distinction and a 2009 Interactive Media Outstanding Achievement Award.
• Communicated with and engaged customers on Delta happenings with more than 425 posts on marketing efforts, news, special promotions and more. Experienced 1,300 average RSS feed subscribers and a total of 3,500 reader comments. The typical visitor spends 1-3 minutes on the site.
BLOG BUZZ
Under the Wing has far exceeded Delta’s expectations in helping the airline build brand awareness and communicate corporate news, but don’t just take our word for it. The blog has received positive recognition from customers and media alike.
“Delta’s been our number one airline for at least the past 10 years, and it’s really interesting to see some behind the scenes insight as to what’s going on in and around the airline (as well as outside the airline with posts from Carson Palmer & Jeff Francoeur). It’s also cool that Delta’s reaching out and giving their customers the opportunity to see what’s going on. The history posts and the fleet and IFE updates are my favorites, but I’ve found pretty much everything on the blog so far to be enjoyable in one way or another.” - Delta blog reader
“What I love about this blog is that the people who moderate actually take into account what the readers have to say. Many of us have made suggestions through comments and eventually found our suggestion turn into a reality. That alone is pretty cool. Also, I love the inside look this blog gives us to Delta. It’s a treat for those who are interested in the airline industry.” - Delta blog reader
“Delta has become the latest airline to join the blogosphere after the carrier rolled out its “Under the Wing” blog yesterday… The blog includes an e-mail link for those with story ideas.” USA Today, August 24, 2007
“Delta is using the blog for market research. In the next month, it will post proposed screen shots for its ticket kiosks on the blog for feedback from travelers.” The New York Times, February 8, 2008
“The safety video generated such a buzz after being posted on the Atlanta-based airline’s corporate blog and on the video Web site YouTube that admirers dubbed the 33-year-old Atlanta woman “Deltalina,” a combination of the airline’s name and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who they say she resembles.” Associated Press, March 22, 2008
“By August of last year, Delta.com/change became Under the Wing. Now it is largely a blog for Delta insiders to contribute to, with entries ranging from historical perspectives on subjects such as Delta’s continuing overseas expansion. The blog gained fame when it became a testing spot for a series of in-flight videos produced by Delta on aircraft etiquette (see them at flightglobal.com/¬planeguage).” FlightGlobal Blog, June 18, 2008
TOP TEN MOST POPULAR POSTS
Readers regularly look to Under the Wing to learn the latest on all things Delta. Blog posts are relevant and keep customers up to speed on Delta news and events, introduce them to people behind the scenes and on the frontlines, offer nuggets of airline history and solicit customer feedback. Of course they are all available, archived and categorized for easy viewing at blog.delta.com.
But which posts get the most buzz? Here are the top 10 most popular Under the Wing blog posts in terms of your comments:
1. Enhancing Your Entertainment Experience by Chris Babb (149 comments)
2. In-Flight Entertainment Update & Survey by Chris Babb (76 comments)
3. New SkyMiles Award Structure by Jeff Robertson (67 comments)
4. In-Flight Entertainment: More Planes, More Choices by Chris Babb (59 comments)
5. Medallions and Choice Seats by Shani Nizan (51 comments)
6. Planeguage: The Language of Traveling by Plane by Jaime Jewel (43 comments)
7. Paperless Mobile Check-in Test at LaGuardia by Brian Rutter (39 comments)
8. Your Take: Customer Experience Planning & Development by Jeff Coons (38 comments)
9. The Latest Wings with Wi-Fi: Part XI by Chris Babb (29 comments)
10. New SkyMiles Medallion Program by Jeff Robertson (29 comments)
2009 AND BEYOND
But Delta’s blog is not slowing its momentum anytime soon. The airline is consistently seeking new and better ways to communicate via Under the Wing as social media continues to evolve.
Our focus for the remainder of 2009 is to continue to encourage our employees to request Delta and Northwest customer suggestions, ideas, and thoughts, and to incorporate their blog feedback into Delta’s overall plans for the future. While large corporations like Delta can often be difficult to identify with on a personal level, Under the Wing has proven to be a forum for candid discussion and information, which is particularly essential as we complete our merger with Northwest Airlines. From SkyMiles/Worldperks program integration to onboard potato chip flavor preference, our ultimate goal is to work together to connect customers and employees to make a better airline for everyone.
ABOUT DELTA AIR LINES
Delta Air Lines is the world’s No. 1 airline. From its hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam and Tokyo-Narita, Delta, its Northwest subsidiary and Delta Connection carriers offer service to 360 destinations in 64 countries and serve more than 170 million passengers each year. Delta’s marketing alliances allow customers to earn and redeem either SkyMiles or WorldPerks on more than 16,000 daily flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta‘s more than 70,000 employees worldwide are reshaping the aviation industry as the only U.S. airline to offer a full global network. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and flight status at delta.com.
Super Week & Season Reflection
As many of you know, it’s almost the off-season for the NFL. The season hasn’t gone as great as I would have liked but we’ve fought through a bunch of injuries and we’re going to rebound in 2009.
With the off-season comes some free time. I’m looking at planning some vacations and want to bounce some things off you guys out there. I’m thinking Mexico. Ever been? Have any great recommendations? I’ve been to Cabo before but I want to find some place that’s nice, low key and doesn’t get too much tourist traffic. I’d like a place that my wife and I can eat great food, lounge on the beach and just relax Any thoughts? I’d love to hear them.
In addition, I’d like to plan a hunting trip. Does anyone out there know of a good place to hunt white tail that is NOT in the Midwest? I’m looking for a place somewhere near California. Does Oregon or Washington have any white tail? Help me out with some recommendations!
Even though I’m going to be traveling, I’m still able to find time to work out. For all you travelers out there who can’t always make it to the gym, I highly recommend that you do some research on yoga and Pilates. My wife is a Pilates instructor and she’s armed me with some great workouts when I’m on the road. Its primary focus is strengthening the core and, sometimes, all you need in order to make it work is a wall or a floor. On the road or at a Pilates studio, it’s definitely the way to go.
Thanks for following me this year! I’m looking forward to your feedback. Check out some past entries about life on the road, the five things I can’t travel without, and my favorite places. Or just browse around the Sponsorships category to read all of my posts.
Carson
Carson Palmer is the Quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals and a frequent Delta flier.
New Years Resolutions & Reality TV
Every year I try to come up with a New Year’s resolution like most people. Although I’m not particularly great at following this resolution, I still try to think of something that can better my life a little bit. This year, it’s something weird! I’m going to stop watching reality TV in 2009! I have to admit, this last year I became obsessed with reality TV. I’d watch everything from “American Idol” to “Survivor” and “Amazing Race” (which is sweet) to “Dancing With the Stars.” My wife didn’t help the addiction any because we would talk about the shows and what was going on and, in time, I felt like I was starting to become a person who gossiped a bunch! It just got bad. So in 2009 my resolution is to quit watching reality TV!
When it comes to other TV, I’m still going to watch my favorites. I’m a huge fan of “The Office.” The Office is one of those shows that has so many storylines and plots going at all times, that it never gets old. I mean seriously, every character brings a different element, a different twist and a different level of hilarity to the show. If you’ve ever watched it, you’ll see that very few people in the office have all that much in common and that provides the perfect platform for chaos. And, in all honesty, Michael Scott has got to be one of the greatest characters in television history. He’s so bluntly absurd and hilarious that you can’t help but laugh at him. If you’re not a fan of The Office you need to check it out. I recommend buying a full season and watching it in its entirety on your next Delta flight!
I’m also a big fan of “Entourage.” It’s cool for me to watch because I lived in LA for 4 years and a lot of the places that they visit are familiar to me. I also can’t wait for the new season of “Flight of the Concords.” Those guys are hysterical.
So, as I usher out reality TV in 2009, you better believe that my plate is going to be full with plenty of other TV to watch. Do you have any recommendations for me? Shoot them my way! And for all you people out there who are planning on making resolutions for the New Year, I’d love to hear if you have one that is more absurd than me giving up reality TV. Comment and maybe I’ll remark on it next time.
Carson
Carson Palmer is the Quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals and a frequent Delta flier.
Five Things I Can’t Fly Without
I know many of you out there travel frequently, so you know that everyone has those things that you can’t leave home without, especially around the holidays. It’s like in your normal day-to-day when you make sure that you check your pockets for your wallet, your keys and your cell phone. I do that check before each flight.
These are the things that I can’t fly without:
1. iPhone: Perhaps one of the greatest inventions of all time, the iPhone simply makes life easier. I use the e-mail, the internet, the GPS (which is more accurate than any GPS in my cars), I text with it, I have all my songs on it, photos, videos and so much more. It is easily the device that I am the most dependent on. In fact, I’m writing my blog right now from my iPhone!
2. Bose Headphones: I have those sound neutralizing headphones that are unbelievable. They were given to me as a gift and at first I didn’t think they were any different than normal headphones. But they literally suction over your ears so that you hear nothing but the music playing. On long flights, they’re especially important.
3. Neck pillow: Yep, I’m that dork who walks through the airport with one of those neck pillows. My wife laughs at me and makes fun of me for it but it’s amazing. I used to be too embarrassed by it and had one of those ones that you blew up once you got on the plane. But after trying the one that has those little comfortable beads in it, I’m sold.
4. Magazines: I need to keep myself entertained when I’m on the plane so I pick up the standard guy magazines: Sports Illustrated and ESPN. I’m a huge fan of all sports and I like to read up as much as possible. I also pick up a newspaper and, I’m not going to lie, read my wife’s US Weekly and People when she’s done.
5. Gum: I was never one of those people that had issues with my ears getting plugged up or popping on planes. However, I’ve always chewed gum on planes and, whether true or not, think that that might be the reason why I’ve never had issues. Because of that, I never fly without gum!
What are some things that you can’t travel without? Let me know and I’ll tell you what I think!
Carson
Carson Palmer is the Quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals and a frequent Delta flier.