Trade you an ATL for an SFO? Airports unveil trading cards

Baseball teams have them, some police forces have them and the TSA's K-9 unit has them.

Now more than 20 North American airports have trading cards too.

Unveiled earlier this month, each card has the look and feel of a traditional baseball card. But instead of portraying a rookie player at bat, the cards in the North American Airport Collectors Series feature an iconic image of an airport on the front and geographic information, fun factoids and historical tidbits about the airport on the back.

The card for General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, for example, tells passengers about MKE's free ping pong table and "recombobulation areas." The card for Pittsburgh International Airport lays claims to being the first large U.S. airport to offer free wireless.

The idea for airport trading cards started at Lambert-St. Louis International, where "like a lot of other airports, we get calls from collectors all over the world asking for anything with the airport code on it," said STL spokesman Jeff Lea.

Lambert's trading card has iconic pictures of the airport's two terminals on the front and, on the back, historical information, including STL's connection to Charles Lindbergh.

"The cards are inexpensive to produce in bulk, so airports can hand them out for free at information booths and other places" said Lea. "It's an old way to tell a new story and we know people will hold onto that one piece of cardboard longer than if you gave them a brochure or a pen."

More importantly, the trading cards remind collectors, aviation enthusiasts and passengers that local airports are part of the larger aviation network, said Kevin Burke, President and CEO of ACI-NA, the trade group for airports in the United States and Canada.

"Airports don't get the attention they deserve and trading cards are one way to illustrate the importance of an airport in a community, especially the airport's economic contribution," said Burke, who plans to hand out airport trading cards, perhaps instead of briefing papers, when visiting elected officials in Washington, D.C.

Of course trading cards are just one way airports market themselves locally and beyond. Billboards, slogans, special events, passenger perks, print ads, commercials and, increasingly, presence on social media play a role as well.

"The new spin for airports is mostly based around touting their positive attributes, including yoga rooms, walking paths and healthy food choices," said Brad Jersey, founder and CEO of the nLIVEn Group, "Highlighting improvements is the new positioning."

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which will issue its trading card soon, promotes itself as "America's Friendliest Airport," and has trademarked the slogan and grabbed the associated URL.

"When we opened the first part of our restaurant overhaul in Terminal 4, people started referring to us as 'America's Tastiest Airport' on their own accord," said Deborah Ostreicher, PHX Deputy Aviation Director.

Elsewhere, Iowa's Sioux Gateway Airport continues to attract attention (and income) with T-shirts, coffee mugs, beanies and other items bearing the airport's identifying code and slogan: "Fly SUX."

In California, "Burbank" has been added to promotional material for Bob Hope Airport to help raise geographic awareness. In 2013, the airport also became the Official Airport of the Rose Bowl and an Official Sponsor of UCLA Athletics.

"Our intent is to become more visible to travel markets outside Southern California," said BUR spokesman Victor Gill.

While San Francisco International Airport's current ad campaign has a "Travel Well" theme highlighting the airport's services and amenities, back in 2010 the airport raised eyebrows with its "I Wanna Go Through SFO" YouTube video comparing the "Good Airport" to an unnamed "Bad Airport" most viewers assumed was Los Angeles International Airport.

"They wouldn't do that now," said Howard Mann, vice president of policy and market analysis at InterVISTAS, in part because "most airport marketing campaigns focus on their strengths," but also because LAX is in the midst of an award-winning makeover.

"We've leaned into providing a passenger experience at LAX that's second to none," said Mary Grady, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles World Airports, "and that's hard to criticize."

For now, LAX isn't issuing an airport trading card, choosing instead to focus on its LAX is Happening campaign. But Grady said travelers can pick up trading cards with photos of the dogs in the Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUP) program when passing through the airport.

Elsewhere, "we've seen a surge in airport loyalty programs geared to swaying airport choice," said Kevin Schorr, Vice President, Campbell-Hill Aviation Group. "I haven't seen much in the way of 'in your face' guerrilla airport marketing tactics lately, but that doesn't mean it isn't going on, especially behind the scenes," he said.

In the past, General Mitchell International Airport, which promotes itself as "Chicago's Third Airport," engaged in a bit of "in your face" marketing with a campaign encouraging passengers to "Avoid the Chicago ORDeal."

"Now the focus of our messaging is on what makes MKE a great alternative instead of what is wrong with O'Hare," said MKE spokesman Ryan McAdams, and includes quirky commercials featuring talking suitcases.

Pittsburgh International, also an early participant in the airport trading card program, is undergoing a rebranding, with a revamped AIRMALL and fresh passenger perks, flight service and slogan: First. Class. Service.

"The trading cards are an innovative and non-traditional way to share information and promote the airport," said Jim Gill, Acting Executive Director, Allegheny County Airport Authority, "but all the marketing in the world doesn't mean a lot if you're not delivering a great product."

Harriet Baskas is the author of seven books, including Hidden Treasures: What Museums Can't or Won't Show You, and the Stuck at the Airport blog. Follow her on Twitter at @hbaskas.