ScotteVest Founder Says Baggage Fees Are Behind The Move

The founder of ScotteVest SeV clothing says an ad he had proposed for Delta's Sky Magazine was rejected because it suggested the garment was a way to avoid paying baggage fees.

Scott Jordan says the vest is designed with multiple pockets, removable sleeves, and other features including a pocket specifically sized for an iPad. The proposed ad, which had run in the New York Times Travel Magazine September 26 "received tremendous response," according to Jordon. Based on that success, he said he agreed to spend a large portion of his remaining advertising budget for the year on an ad in Delta's Sky Magazine.

The campaign, which is headlined "Most Stylish Way To Beat The System", shows the vest and many of the things that can be carried in it. In an e-mail, Jordan says Delta contacted him to say his ad had been rejected due to "content."  He says they offered to replace "Beat The System" with "Travel the World in Style & Leave Your Baggage Behind." But Jordan says "It turns out that they didn't like the other message on the page, 'SCOTTEVEST Travel Clothing Has Specialized Pockets to Help You Stay Organized & Avoid Extra Baggage Fees' - particularly the 'Avoid Extra Baggage Fees.' As evidenced by the recent New York Times analysis of the airline industry, those baggage fees are what keeps them going."

The Times article referenced in the e-mail indicates that airlines collected $769 million in baggage fees in just the first three months of 2010.

Jordon says he uploaded a YouTube video commenting on the rejection of the ad, and posted on Twitter as well. And that's when things really started to happen.

Rejected Ad

"Our media agent (who buys ad placements for us) pleaded with me to take the video down," Jordan said in the e-mail. "Apparently, Delta Sky didn't like the truth being exposed for the public to see. It was communicated to us that we would likely be rejected by all other airline magazines as well, and that this was causing major ripples.

"Soon thereafter I was in the middle of a flurry of phone calls. My advisers, reporters and media agent were all trying to get a hold of me. It was clear I had hit a nerve with the video, and my chief adviser Hap Klopp (founder of The North Face) agreed." Jordan said Scott told him "this is classic David vs. Goliath. Their reaction shows how touchy of a subject baggage fees are for them. You've found a way for everyday people to get around their crazy policies, and you just put a fork in their cash cow."

All this happened in a period from September 29 to October 2.

Jordon said he plans to continue to place the ad, but admits "I may not be able to go on a plane again."

FMI: www.scottevest.com