Challenge
Surf Air, a revolutionary subscription-based airline offering unlimited flights for a flat monthly fee, was preparing to disrupt the regional air travel industry. With a first-of-its-kind model targeting busy West Coast business travelers, Surf Air needed to generate widespread awareness, build early trust, and drive app downloads and early commitments – all before a single plane ever took off.
The goal: spark enough excitement and credibility to get users to download the app and commit to purchasing an “Unlimited Fly Pass” for $1,650/month in advance of the company’s official launch.
Zozimus was brought on to develop and execute a pre-launch strategy focused on:
- Driving app downloads and early user sign-ups
- Securing early adopter commitment to the $1,650/month subscription model
- Generating national media coverage and consumer credibility
- Targeting West Coast business travelers in high-traffic regions through innovative digital channels
Strategy
Zozimus created a multi-channel pre-launch campaign designed to position Surf Air as the future of regional business travel. The campaign centered on building anticipation, trust, and exclusivity through a blend of earned, paid, and owned media.
Key elements included:
- Public Relations: Aggressive media outreach secured major feature stories and interviews in top-tier national, business, and tech press.
- Digital Advertising: Targeted campaigns ran across search, display, and social channels to drive traffic to app download and sign-up pages.
- Social Media Marketing: A curated content strategy amplified the brand voice and educated early audiences about the benefits of subscription flying.
- Influencer Engagement: We activated travel, business, and tech influencers to share Surf Air’s value proposition with trusted audiences.
- Geofencing & Mobile Advertising: Hyper-targeted mobile ads were delivered around smaller regional business airports on the West Coast, reaching frequent flyers in high-conversion environments.
Campaign Results
The pre-launch campaign generated extraordinary momentum:
- 120+ media hits, including TechCrunch, TIME, The New York Times, Business Insider, Bloomberg Businessweek, CNBC, Fox Business News, and NPR
- Over 5,000 app downloads and early sign-ups
- Pre-launch commitments totaled more than $8 million in recurring monthly revenue
- Surf Air launched with strong brand recognition, an engaged user base, and significant media credibility, positioning it as a disruptor from day one
Zozimus delivered a best-in-class launch strategy that helped Surf Air take off—literally and figuratively. Through an integrated approach that combined storytelling, precision targeting, and early user activation, Surf Air entered the market not as a newcomer, but as an industry changer.
120+
media placements
$8M
recurring monthly revenue
5K+
app downloads
