Back in 2011, on a flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, a hula halau group surprised passengers on a Hawaiian Airlines flight with a spontaneous “Flash Mob” performance. It was pretty cool back then. Check it out, then fast forward below to 2022 and how competition drives new ways of marketing flights to Hawaii. We’ve gone from a non-commercial hula performance to merchandising with a captive audience at 38,000 feet.
Oxford dictionary says, “shtick/SHtik/ – a gimmick, comic routine, performance style, etc.
Jason Momoa’s flight attendant shtick failed to convince.
Jason Momoa was recently in the air promoting his Mananalu Pure Water, headquartered in Boone, North Carolina. His Hawaii-themed water is being served in aluminum instead of plastic containers by Hawaiian Airlines and is sourced from Bozeman, Montana, Montebello, California, and Norfolk, Nebraska.
The water is available in 12-packs for $27.99 on Amazon.
In his latest promotion, Jason served the water as a make-believe flight attendant on Hawaiian Airlines to support their serving of it on flights to and from the mainland. As we said previously, aluminum water cans are theoretically but infrequently recycled and are not a great environmental option. Remember that the saying goes, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” It’s in that order for a good reason, as recycling is considered the least effective.
Reusable containers are far more sustainable than recyclable ones. And that’s even before the controversy about aluminum safety and the undeniable fact that producing these aluminum cans uses huge amounts of electricity. It’s also associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Reuters reported, “A 330 ml [aluminum] can is responsible for 1,300 grams of carbon dioxide emissions… A plastic bottle of the same size… accounts for up to 330 grams.”
Shtick #3 on a Southwest Hawaii flight this week.
Oneupmanship took to another level this week when all passengers onboard Southwest Airlines from Long Beach to Honolulu received a free ukulele and a lesson. This was done in partnership with Guitar Center in what was dubbed the “first-ever in-flight ukulele lesson.” Each passenger left the plane with a $60 ukulele.
We’re not sure what’s next, but you can be certain there’s more to come.
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I was really touched by the sense of community shown on the SWA Ukulele flight! Pasengers were talking to eachother and helping eachother learn to play the ukulele. Adverstisment or not, this was a great way to bring people together with a common goal: making music!
Please, no thank you. Give me some peace and quiet on this flight. I just a horrid airport experience.
Mahalo Beat of Hawaii for the amazing updates and spot on commentary.
I’m currently at the airport in Honolulu..as I write, waiting for incoming Ohana.
Hawaiian Airlines has completely lost their marbles.
From the baggage to the bathrooms, it’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen, and never wanted to see.
Service? No Aloha.
Bathrooms blocked because of an “incident”..maybe sewage?
Confusion is rampant.
The one cohesive theme is mean. Mean people working.
I’m, literally, embarrassed to have guests coming here.
Aloha and blessings always.
Hi Pam.
Thanks! You and Jeff were probably at HNL airport at the same time. Sorry to hear about your experiences – and we’d love to learn more. Watch for some interesting reviews upcoming from us as well.
Aloha.
The hula flashmob was so sweet, it made me cry. So lovely. They had no agenda other than sharing their art and traditions with the other passengers. So sweet that they included “I left my heart in San Francisco.
Momoa should have gotten his new scalp tattoo On the plane!
Sorry but I would have loved to have been on these “shtick” flights! Jason – yum! And I’ve always wanted to play the ukulele but never find the time so focusing on it on a five hour flight to Hawaii would do it for me! 🙂
Can you imagine a whole plane load of people all plinking away on their ukulele’s at once. Whoaaaa!!
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣. Good point! Gotta love noise cancelling headphones on any flight! 😁
True! Hopefully they also passed out earplugs!
I’m Certain that the Give Always are a Great way of Advertising for the Companies Involved but how many people will be taking Ukulele Lessons when on vacation? Jason, Hawking Canned “Hawaiian Named” water from Montana and other locations within the Mainland will eventually fall through. People do tend to read the labels and word will spread quickly. Disappointing! Maybe Hawaiian could get Stand up Comics and serve 1st class food as a surprise! I’m Certain that they can do better, maybe free tickets on SWA. Wouldn’t that be interesting.
This is so stupid it’s unbelievable. So a company in South Carolina rips off a Hawaiian name for their water from 3 different sources, (none Hawaiian) pretending it’s more ecologically sustainable when it isn’t and they price it so high only a fool would buy it. Please stop Mr. Big Shot Hollywood actor, you’re literally killing us. Please go bankrupt sooner than later.
I would have absolutely loved to have been on that flight and have gotten a ukulele and lesson! Music is the best mood lifter and balm for any of your troubles and for Southwest to provide that for their passengers is amazing. I’ve always appreciated the Southwest flight crews giving the extra effort with their humor and kindness, something that is harder and harder to find. On a flight to Las Vegas for a friend’s 50th, the crew made her a crown out of pretzel bags and swizzle sticks and had the entire plane sing to her. Really made her and everyone else feel good and was a great way to start our trip!
Actually, these types of experiences build memories..better than a re-run movie
A 12 pack of water for $28! that must be some gooood water.