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Flexjet Challenges Status Quo With New Ad Campaign Recognizing Private Jets as Tools, Not Toys

DALLAS, May 1 PRNewswire — Challenging the stereotypical perceptions of private jet ownership as a frivolous extravagance of the wealthy, Flexjet, the fractional business jet ownership program of Bombardier Aerospace, is veering from the standard course of industry marketing and launching a new multi-million dollar advertising campaign identifying private jets as tools that enhance productivity and quality of life, not just glamorous toys for the wealthy.

The new campaign, which launches May 1, 2008, is the first from Flexjet's new advertising agency, Team One, a division of Saatchi & Saatchi. It speaks directly to discerning affluents — leaders and entrepreneurs with a strong work ethic and values rooted in the middle class. Discerning affluents appreciate good value, quality, authenticity, flexibility and productivity. Gone are the perfunctory category images of opulent settings, privileged jet-setters, blue skies and sunsets. In its place are incisive graphic images with copy that speaks candidly about private jet travel and leverages Flexjet's unique aviation expertise with "straight talk from plane people."

"Over the past twelve months, we conducted a series of in-depth studies of our target audience," said Sylvain Levesque, Vice President, Marketing and Administration, Bombardier Flexjet. "And the research confirmed what we've known instinctively all along: for the majority of our customers, private jet travel isn't a glamorous perk, it's an essential tool. It's an investment in productivity and their most valuable asset: time."

"This drove us to hone our messaging and gave us permission, if you will, to speak authentically about our unique offerings in the category," added Levesque, "including our aviation expertise, our exceptional level of service and our high-efficiency achievements."

According to new research*, almost 80 percent of today's wealthy population grew up in middle class or lower income homes-bringing with them middle class values. In addition, nearly 70 percent of high net worth individuals have had their money less than 15 years. And the old stereotypes no longer apply. In contrast to previous generations, they did not inherit their wealth. They are independent thinkers who desire the best and look for quality and authenticity that demonstrates discernment versus overt status. They appreciate real and meaningful differences in the products and services they seek.

Throughout the new advertising campaign, Flexjet will highlight efficiency and its aviation experience and expertise among its primary benefits, including consistently maintaining one of the youngest fleets in the fractional jet industry, with an average fleet age of 3.4 years. Every aircraft in Flexjet's legendary fleet of Bombardier business jets — Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 XR, Challenger 300 and Challenger 605 — is operated solely by Flexjet.

By virtue of its Bombardier lineage, Flexjet offers a century of aviation experience with ancestry reaching back to Short Brothers Plc, the first company to produce aircraft for the Wright brothers in 1909. The company's operations recently recorded its best year ever in everything from on-time performance, to flights considered "flawless," and earned the prestigious FAA Diamond Award in 2007, the highest honor for maintenance training, for the ninth straight year.

The new ad campaign is slated to run in print and online media, including Forbes, Departures, Helium Report and Barron's.

About Bombardier Flexjet

Established in 1995 and based in Richardson, Texas, Bombardier Flexjet offers a turnkey program allowing individuals or companies to purchase a share in a Bombardier business jet at a fraction of the full ownership cost. Flexjet owners select the aircraft type that best fits their needs, determine the number of hours per year they expect to fly, and purchase shares starting at 1/16th (equal to 50 hours of flying).

Owners pay predictable monthly management and usage fees, while Flexjet manages aircraft maintenance, flight crews, hangars, fuel and insurance on their behalf. Flexjet fields an exclusive family of Bombardier business jets, including the Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 XR, Challenger 300 and newly redesigned Challenger 605 business jets. The Flexjet One program is an aircraft management service providing owners who purchase a whole Bombardier aircraft access to Flexjet's entire fractional fleet, cost savings and a simple, worry-free solution to aircraft ownership. The Flexjet 25 jet card program, operated by Jet Solutions LLC, provides travel-by-the-hour on the Flexjet 25 fleet of Bombardier aircraft.

About Bombardier

A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2007, were $14.8 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at http://www.bombardier.com.

Bombardier, Flexjet, Flexjet 25, Learjet and Challenger are either registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

Note to Editors

*Research statistics generated from "The Annual Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America: 2008" by The Harrison Group and American Express Publishing.

SOURCE Bombardier Flexjet

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