TheBuzz Erika Engle

COURTESY BANK OF HAWAII Pualani, Bank of Hawaii and Hawaiian Airlines' new marketing "person," will be making her way around the community with "Pualani Fridays" lunches and a blog.

Logo steps out

Bank of Hawaii and Hawaiian Air bring life to the carrier's symbol

"Pualani" -- actually a large, foam-core version of the airline's logo -- already is starring in a new round of TV commercials for a new, mileage-earning, co-branded VISA credit card by the bank and airline.

But Pualani won't be stopping there. She will have her own desk at 20 branches on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, said Susan Ing, executive vice president of marketing.

She will be treated like a real person, though Pualani is a symbol that "personifies the qualities we think of as Hawaiian Airlines," said Keoni Wagner, vice president of public affairs. Those include beauty, grace, sophistication and determination, he said.

The bank and airline "thought it would be a great opportunity to do something fun, some nontraditional marketing," said Ing. "We wanted to bring attention to the partnership."

The two also partnered on a co-branded check card that also earns HawaiianMiles.

The launch of the credit card, so soon after the demise of Aloha Airlines and its mileage-earning card via First Hawaiian Bank, was a coincidence, according to Nancy Usui, assistant vice president and corporate communications administrator. It had been in the works for a couple years, she said.

As seen on TV, the physical Pualani will also be seen around the community as she goes to lunch with Bankoh employees on "Pualani Fridays" for eight weeks starting next week Friday.

Though strictly a temp, she and her co-workers will go to lunch on the bank's dime, Ing said. Each branch will have its own system to determine who gets to take Pualani to lunch and anyone who asks Pualani's lunchmates about the new Bankoh HawaiianMiles credit card will get a free coupon worth 100 miles, Ing said.

As a frame of reference, neighbor island travel starts at 5,000 mile-points. Eligible first purchases by new cardholders earn 20,000 miles -- enough for an Interisland Anytime One-Way First-class ticket and more than enough for a one-way flight to the mainland.

Pualani will also make special appearances and give away prizes at events like this weekend's Bankoh-sponsored Hawaii Book and Music Festival and Bishop Museum's Family Sunday June 22, Ing said.

Unlike with other celebrities who make appearances, there will be no issues with her being "difficult" and she's also guaranteed to show up.

But wait, there's more.

"Pualani will have a blog called 'Pualani's Place' where every week she'll talk about ... working with us," Ing said.

But wait, she can't type.

"We'll be conferring with Pualani" but someone with actual arms will write the blog, Ing said.