Jetstar promotion - if you do this, this, this, that and pay more then we'll do something for you

Jetstar is Australia's third domestic carrier - the low cost off shoot of Qantas. They were launched a few years back by Qantas to fight the increasing market share gains of Virgin Blue. While Virgin Blue have broken a number of the low cost carrier rules with lounges, flexible tickets, fixed seating and more, Jetstar has proven itself to be an old fashion low cost carrier with no arranged seating and flying to secondary airports (who even knew Australia had secondary airports). Virgin Blue have been doing as much to fight Qantas at the top of the market with service as they have to fight Jetstar at the bottom with prince. It has found DJ (Virgin Blue two letter code) stuck in the middle.

To continue the squeeze and prove their pedigree in the price competition, Jetstar have launched a new fare guarantee campaign. They guarantee to double the difference if you find a lower fare. Great idea for a campaign - right? Should generate good press and help build up the price credibility story- right? It would, except in a classic low cost carrier move (and Qantas move for that matter) the terms and conditions are so rigorous and ridiculous that it is more likely to annoy customers, than win them over.

This is what you have to do to claim your "double the difference"

1. Find the lower fare
2. Call the Jetstar call centre - making sure there is availability in the competitors fare and ONLY ONE CLASS of Jetstar fare
3. Departure of the lower fare must be within one hour of departure of the compared Jetstar fare
4. Wait for Jetstar to verify
5. BOOK THE MORE EXPENSIVE FARE WITH JETSTAR
   
6. Then A VOUCHER voucher for a subsequent purchase will be sent for double the difference VALID FOR ONLY SIX MONTHS.
   

Who the hell in the marketing department thought this would be a good deal for customers. You have jump through a series of hoops to prove that Jetstar is more expensive, then you actually have to buy a more expensive ticket to get vouchers that have a very limited time of validity. Jetstar can avoid liability by simply closing out a class of fare. Price guarantees are simple - find a more expensive fare and we'll match it or give you x% off. Easy. When you make marketing promises that are complicated and painful for consumers they will inevitably have the opposite effect by generating bad experiences and word of mouth.