Interview: ANA CEO on His Star Wars Strategy and Why Sushi Doesn’t Fly
Photo Credit: ANA CEO Yuji Hirako took over in April. He wants to the airline to improve its brand recognition outside of Japan, especially in the United States. ANA
Skift Take
Other airlines serve sushi, but not ANA, Japan's largest carrier. Why? ANA takes its food seriously, and its chefs don't think sushi tastes right on planes, so it serves sashimi instead. That's attention to detail.
Future of Passenger Experience
To better understand the challenges facing airlines in an age of fluctuating oil prices, rapid growth, and changing passenger expectations, our Future of Passenger Experience series will allow leaders in the industry to explain their best practices and insights.Several years ago, executives at ANA — Japan's largest airline — realized they had a problem. They wanted to attract more U.S. customers, but a Google search for ANA was nearly as likely to lead potential travelers to the American Nurses Association as to the airline.
Enter Star Wars, the iconic American movie franchise owned by The Walt Disney Co. The two brands announced a five-year deal in 2015, and ANA quickly repainted a Boeing 787-9 in what it called a "R2-D2 livery." ANA now has four special planes, having christened C-3PO earlier this year. On board, ANA uses special themed headrest covers, and gives passengers Star Wars-branded cups and napkins.
It hasn't been easy for ANA, but the airline, which started in 1953 yet didn't fly international routes until 1986, is raising its profile in the United States, through the Star Wars promotion, and others, including its partnership with the celebrity DJ and musician Steve Aoki. He leads a marketing
