Mind the Tech NY
"El Al has undergone a transformation—from a local airline to a global player"
Nadav Hanin, VP Marketing, Digital & Communication at EL AL Israel Airlines, was speaking at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi Mind the Tech conference in New York.
"El Al has undergone a transformation—from a local airline to a global player," said Nadav Hanin, VP Marketing, Digital & Communication at EL AL Israel Airlines, at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi Mind the Tech conference in New York.
According to Hanin, the company is no longer focused solely on the Israeli market but now operates globally, with extensive partnerships and targeted marketing campaigns for different audiences worldwide. "We have signed a wide range of codeshare agreements, including with Delta, Virgin, Air France, and Cathay. Ultimately, we want to serve everyone who wants to fly to Israel," he said.
This expansion has been accompanied by new marketing campaigns tailored to specific audiences. The first campaign targeted Israelis, addressing the complex emotions they experience when traveling abroad. "Today, when you travel overseas, you may feel a mix of emotions—it’s somewhere between funny and sad. There’s a sense of not fully belonging, and some even feel the need to downplay their Israeli or Jewish identity," Hanin explained. He emphasized that El Al wants to remind its customers that they are "the most at home in the world" with El Al, an airline where every Israeli can feel comfortable and safe.
The second campaign was aimed at the American market, particularly Jews in the diaspora, with a message of pride in identity. "As you recently saw in Gal Gadot’s speech, she spoke about being Israeli and proud of her Jewish and Israeli identity—it’s an integral part of who she is," Hanin said. "Our campaign for the American market focused on embracing that pride. That’s one of the reasons to choose El Al—to fly with us is to fly with the airline that represents Israel and the Jewish people."
Hanin also addressed the challenges El Al has faced recently. "We are going through a very complex period. Ultimately, we don’t have the capacity to meet the full demand of Israelis wanting to fly abroad. Our aircraft are operating around the clock to provide the best possible service," he said. Despite these difficulties, he expressed optimism about the future. "We hope to return to normal soon and see all airlines resuming operations in Israel. El Al is the bridge that connects Israel to the world—and we will do everything in our power to continue fulfilling this role."
