San José Mineta International Airport Wins Best Overall Marketing Program, Medium Airport, at Airports Council International – North America Awards

L-R: Heather Shelbrack, C.M., Chair, Marketing, Communications & Customer Experience Steering Group, ACI-NA; Gina Robles, SJC; Monique Yamamoto, SJC; Jill Stone, SJC; Kayla Renelle, SJC; Ana Maria State, SJC; Kevin M. Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer, ACI-NA; Scott Wintner, SJC; Julie Jarratt, SJC

San José, Calif. – San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) is happy to announce its win for “Best Overall Marketing Program, Medium Airport” at last week’s Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) 2024 Excellence in Airport Marketing, Communication & Customer Experience awards ceremony. ACI-NA is the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada.

The winner in this category best demonstrates how marketing programs help define an airport’s product or service and create a strategy for communicating the message that will produce growth.

The award entry centered around a campaign to celebrate the 75th anniversary of SJC’s inaugural commercial flight in February 1949, which arrived carrying two pilots, seven passengers and 2,550 baby chickens. The chickens deplaned in San José, while the human passengers continued to Los Angeles.

SJC brought these quirky and clucky passengers to life with a comprehensive marketing campaign—including terminal displays and signage, videos, promotional items and a photo contest—to tell the story of its origins and 75 years of the Airport. SJC’s in-house designer illustrated a small flock of adorable baby chick characters, each with a unique persona and historical connection to the Airport. The main character, “Ernie,” is the namesake of Ernest Renzel, who led the campaign to make a commercial airport in San José a reality. Ernie and his flockmates—Jim, Robbie, Maria, Minnie, Paul and Pat—have become prominent fixtures on SJC’s social media channels as well as throughout the Airport terminals in the form of decals, stickers and even a giant inflatable chick.

“On behalf of the City of San José, I commend SJC for this well-deserved award,” San José Mayor Matt Mahan said. “The region’s most convenient and reliable airport continues to raise the bar for its passengers, and this innovative campaign celebrating 75 years of flight has engaged the traveling public with its endearing chicken characters honoring San José’s aviation pioneers.”

“I congratulate SJC on its award. This creative campaign reflects the friendliness and accessibility of San José Mineta International Airport and the baby chicks continue to surprise and delight visitors at SJC,” said San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire.

"San José Mineta International Airport is honored to be awarded ‘Best Overall Marketing Program, Medium Airport,’ and we thank ACI-NA for this recognition," said SJC Director of Aviation Mookie Patel. "SJC travelers have wholeheartedly embraced our 75th anniversary campaign and the creativity of our marketing team continues to help entice travelers to SJC for its premier location, convenience and reliability. This engaging campaign, with its adorable animated mascots, continues to capture the hearts of our passengers, staff and community.”