TSA's Target Market Leak

When I was working at an ad agency on a food account, we had a term we used internally to describe our target market for the sweet goods/convenience store products: "Bubba" was a 18-35 year old male who worked a blue collar job and drove a truck. He stopped in at convenience stores on his lunch break and, luckily for us, grabbed cupcakes or donuts to go with his equally unhealthy lunch. He also frequented NASCAR events. While working with the race track on our sponsorship for a NASCAR event, I learned that other marketing people knew Bubba too. "Oh, sure. I know Bubba!" said the lady who handled advertisers for the track. "We owe everything we have to Bubba!" 

Of course, when we made signage for this event or in the convenience stores, we didn't say things like, "Bubba Special: Buy 1 get 1 free!" or "Bubbas Welcome!" We didn't call Bubba Bubba to his FACE. It's an INTERNAL marketing term. You don't talk about your target market TO your target market. 

The marketing department at the Transportation Security Administration, however, doesn't seem to get this. They came up with what looks like an internal marketing plan, a training program really, and made external signage for it. Have you ever seen these at your airport? 

While traveling this week I read this sign in disbelief. And in fact, it's even changed a little. The top one now includes "people traveling with more than 3 oz. of liquids." So let's say you are new to traveling. Are you going to see this sign and go, "Oh, I better get in the lane with families, groups, people who need assistance and people who have more than the approved amount of liquids--The LONGEST line! Yes, since I'm new, I think I'd like to spend a lot more time in the security line. That sounds awesome."

Or how about this? "I'm a dopey Casual Traveler. I've got my baseball cap on like that guy. I sort of know what I'm doing but I have too many carry-ons. I better go in the kind of long line. Doop-dee-doo, here I go."

The Expert Traveler is like the teacher's pet. Look how smug she looks in that picture. "I'm the Expert Traveler. I'm like the female George Clooney in Up in the Air. Except I'm not as good looking. But I only carry a brief case and of course, I know to take out my lap top before going through the screener."

I just don't see what good it is to show people these categories. I mean, I've never been to an airport that  enforces the lines. You can go in whatever line you want. And are we supposed to categorize ourselves? If that's the case, wouldn't you see a bunch of Casuals and Newbies in the Expert line? I mean, everyone just wants to get out quicker.

I think these labels may have been helpful for TSA workers. If they could quickly identify a passenger, they could know how to handle them. Dopey baseball cap: "Sir, let's make sure this extra carry on is going to fit." Family with stroller: "Do you have any liquids for the children?" Expert/smug looking business person: "Go right on through, ma'am."

But as it stands now, I'm pretty sure they just took an internal marketing plan and leaked it to the outside world, making us all feel like nothing more than a bunch of Bubbas, minus the trucks and donuts.