Work Hard. Fly Right. Speak the Truth.
I’ve spoken before about the need for products to align with a real human need. The beleaguered airline industry has, in response to a volatile and highly competitive business climate, grown further and further away from the business of human needs. The needs for legroom, beverages, carry-on baggage, even bathroom privileges during long waits on the tarmac, have all been eroded.
In terms of a broken system, the airline industry’s only rival is healthcare. In both cases, screw-ups can be deadly. Further, both currently suffer from a near complete lack of message credibility.
Last week’s announcement of the proposed merger of United and Continental got me thinking. Would two of the biggest make one of the best? Doubtful. Historically, mergers are the highways to commoditized products and poorly differentiated brands.
It hasn’t always been this way. Fallon’s “Gershwin” campaign for United is one of my favorite examples of brand strategy. United didn’t just get you there, they served up life-defining moments.
Meanwhile, Continental’s “Work Hard. Fly Right.” Campaign, a more no-nonsense approach that even eschewed photography, has helped it gain and maintain marketshare among business travelers since 1998.
For marketing street smarts, it’s always inspiring to look at the up and comers. Today’s New York Times contains an article about Jet Blue’s new digital experience campaign.
Human need + demonstrated experience + customer (not company) endorsement.
Clearly a winning formula making good use of the type of brand discussion that only digital can generate. It’s the traditional testimonial all grown up and made relevant for today’s consumer. Healthcare organizations take note.
