“Keep Delta My Delta” Campaign Keeps Delta Air Lines Independent

Delta Air Lines and Ketchum Public Affairs launch a successful campaign to prevent a hostile takeover attempt by US Airways. 
 
Challenge
Delta, which was in bankruptcy, was on course to file its Reorganization Plan with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court when the US Airways bid came on Nov. 15, 2006. With that offer on the table, Delta had to persuade its creditors to reject US Airways’ proposal and to support Delta’s efforts to emerge from bankruptcy as a strong, independent and stand-alone airline.

Solution
Delta hired Ketchum Public Affairs to direct and coordinate a nationwide, multifaceted communications campaign to convince Capitol Hill and the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Transportation – and ultimately Delta’s creditors – that a US Airways-Delta merger would be anticompetitive and wouldn’t “fly.”

The Ketchum team developed a campaign based on the employee-created tagline, “Keep Delta My Delta.” The first step was the creation of an interactive Web site, www.KeepDeltaMyDelta.org, where visitors could register to receive e-mail updates and sign a virtual “petition” saying “NO” to US Airways.

 
The “Keep Delta My Delta” campaign was officially launched nationwide on December 19, 2006, with a series of “Delta Day” rallies – featuring employees, retirees, local business and community leaders, and elected officials – held in Atlanta and in nine other markets across the country chosen because of their strategic importance to Delta’s advocacy efforts in Washington.

 
The team recruited local legislators and community leaders in target states who joined the campaign, participated in seven additional “Delta Day” events, passed resolutions and proclamations, and published letters to the editor and opinion pieces in local print publications; placed “Say NO to US Airways” advocacy ads in Washington, D.C., print publications; issued a “call-to-action” via the Web site to generate letters to Congress and the Department of Justice and Department of Transportation; and organized an employee “fly-in” and rally on Capitol Hill.

 
Results
The campaign attracted more than 100,000 supporters via www.KeepDeltaMyDelta.org, generated more than 150,000 letters sent to Washington policymakers, and garnered more than 220 million media impressions, culminating in a groundswell of opposition to the US Airways deal.

 
On Jan. 31, 2007, 55 days after the launch of the “Keep Delta My Delta” campaign, US Airways dropped its bid to merge with Delta when it learned that Delta’s creditors were poised to reject its offer. As The Washington Post noted, “Analysts said that resistance in Congress, potential trouble in obtaining anti-trust approval and difficulties in combining antagonistic workforces probably led creditors to side with Delta’s management.”