UNITED INTRODUCES SECOND NEW PAINT SCHEME AND IMAGE WITHIN TWO MONTHS X-Mailer: WebMail Version 2.0 Content-Type: text/plain From: Bill Hough <psa188@xxxxxxxx> Message-Id: <20040401.032915.17918.150724@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> April 1, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UNITED INTRODUCES SECOND NEW PAINT SCHEME AND IMAGE WITHIN TWO MONTHS United Airlines renamed the company this morning, introducing a new image, paint scheme and logo, a mere two months after another paint scheme revision. ?That last paint scheme that we introduced just didn?t cut the mustard?, Glenn F. Tilton, Chairman, Chief Executive and President of United Airlines said at this morning?s press conference. ?We needed a new image that goes beyond ?United? and ?Ted??. After introducing a new paint scheme on a Boeing 777 and a Canadair Regional Jet in February, the company conducted focus groups to gauge customer reaction. ?The reaction was overwhelmingly negative?, Mr. Tilton said. ?People were simply unimpressed. We realized that we had to ?reimagine? the whole company?. Company executives realized that they didn?t know diddly-squat about marketing, so they brought in outside consultant Richard Ferris for advice. Ferris is a former airline executive who has extensive experience in successfully renaming corporations. His first task was to review the company?s glorious history for inspiration. ?I realized that the best thing that UAL, Incorporated ever did was rename itself ?Allegis? back in the late 1980s?. Furthermore, the public obviously likes stupid, made-up transportation names. ?Just look at the popularity of ?Acela??, Ferris suggested. Once the name had been resurrected, the next task was to design a paint scheme. ?Our previous color schemes were all too original? Ferris said. ?We wanted something that would blend in with the crowd at the airport, so we went with an all-white fuselage. All of the other airlines are doing it and we didn?t want to be left behind. It should also make our aircraft easier to sell to another carrier in case we have to liquidate in the future?. The new image was unveiled on N165UA, a Boeing 747-238B hastily retrieved from Orient Thai for the occasion. ?Why bother to repaint one of those stealth gray 747-400s at Victorville when a classic like this is available?? Ferris asked. The airline distributed a photo of the new paint scheme, which can be found here: http://www.cardatabase.net/modifiedairlinerphotos/search/photo_search.php?id=00001371 The best slide auction on the net: http://www.auctiontransportation.com/sites/psa188/ Attend the Newark Airport Airline Collectible Show & Sale: http://www.freeyellow.com/members/psa188/page1.html