Emirates Just Made First Class More Exclusive – It’s a Smart Brand Strategy
Photo Credit: Emirates has taken steps to make first class more exclusive. Emirates
Skift Take
Bloggers may be up in arms, but Emirates understands that scarcity creates desire and exclusivity protects brand equity.
On Experience
Colin Nagy is a marketing strategist and writes on customer-centric experiences and innovation across the luxury sector, hotels, aviation, and beyond. You can read all of his writing here.Few companies excel at brand management like Emirates. I’m talking about the clarity of their brand promise, the consistency of execution across touch points (advertising, digital, app, and in lounges and onboard), and continuous innovation. Plus, Emirates understands the importance of exclusivity.
This strategic discipline has paid off. The brand consistently ranks among the world's most valuable airline brands, currently number 4 globally with a brand value of $7.4 billion, according to Brand Finance, and generated $33 billion in revenue in 2023-24, with premium cabins driving significant yield premiums.
And good brand strategy is knowing when to say no. So I wasn't entirely surprised when I saw Emirates announce that its first-class product can now only be booked by Emirates Skywards members at the Si
