Skyscanner's cheeky swipe at exorbitant iPhone price a hit with consumers

Is the price of the new iPhone XS on your mind? Well it sure is on Skyscanner's. In a recent Facebook post, Skyscanner listed four flights that will take consumers on an "epic trip" across Germany, London and Iceland which will only cost consumers SG$1,443, cheaper than the new iPhone XS which is currently priced at SG$1,649!The witty post, which garnered over 1.2k likes, 2.6k shares and 447 comments at the time of writing, said "A phone that will last you a few years or an epic trip that you remember for a lifetime - the choice is yours."Netizens' reactions to the post were mainly positive, with many applauding the post saying that this is the type of marketing more brands should aim to achieve. (A handful pointed out that the actual price of the epic European trip might cost more when food and accommodations are factored in.)Singaporean budget airline Scoot, known for its brazen marketing stunts, also commented on the post, saying "Glad to know we're always on your mind, Skyscanner!" It also seized the opportunity to promote its fare deal to Athens and Berlin.In a statement to Marketing, Jim Tan, squad lead - growth, Skyscanner Singapore said the post was done by its in-house team."We knew that the Apple keynote would be a huge event and judging from the trend, that iPhone prices would likely increase as well. Our in-house team tried a similar approach last year with round-the-world trips. However as with social media, timing is key and we unfortunately missed the window of opportunity," he said. This year, the team decided to take another shot, focusing on the rising trend of multi-city experiences. By keeping the post simple with just a screenshot of Skyscanner's product, Tan said the company was able to "strike while the iron is hot"."We’re pleased to see the post resonating with the consumers. Additionally, it’s also great to see consumers engaging and reacting positively to the quirky responses from our social media executive Rishi Rajendram!" he added.