Virgin Airlines meets their customer: Turbulence Ahead.

I received the article below from my daughter who never forwards ANYTHING. However, this complaint letter was so amazing she felt compelled beyond belief to spread the word—as do I. (Thanks, Jennie!)

You know me for being a huge advocate of great brands—especially brands that I love, grew up with or have an active relationship with. You also know—I have some level of appreciation for the “disaster stories” that I tell about great brands that just can’t seem to help but screw things up…beyond belief. A case in point and one which has been making the rounds on the Internet: Virgin Airlines.

One of the world’s great brands, and a person who really gets it, is Virgin and its founder Richard Branson. He has expanded the brand from records into all sorts of ventures including a very well thought of, very brand loyal airline. Below is a letter from a Brit who felt compelled to let Richard know just what other people in his organization we're doing to his brand. It includes cell phone camera pix and a running narrative which, while quite Brit, is hysterically funny and sad, all at the same time.

The net net…a person who loved the Virgin brand saw it so desecrated that he couldn’t help but report in…and report in he did—right to the top. To Branson’s credit—he reportedly responded back personally to the passenger who took the time and cared enough to write it. And that’s what I see. People do make choices –Brand choices–from airlines, to their brand of vodka, to the fast food they eat, to the labels on the clothing they wear, and really do care. And importantly, they are offended when a brand—THEIR BRAND doesn’t deliver on the brand promise.

It’s a pact between the brand and its customer, and when the delivery falls short, advocates have two choices:

1. Those who care will do, as this bloke did, and respond to the Ultimate Brand Manager…the CEO—forget the people below.

Or

2. They silently abandon the Brand and begin to tell their own stories about how the Brand failed them, why they’ll never go back, and why the person they are telling the story to should act the same way—and pass the warning along to their friends.

Thus the snowball heads down the slope and becomes a behemoth sphere followed by an avalanche.

Strange how great brands drift out to sea. It seems pretty elementary, but maintaining the brand’s focus on its core values must be closely watched and monitored monthly, weekly, daily if needed. Especially as new employees who may have no understanding, connection, love for, relationship, passion or mental investment in your brand come and go daily into the employment of big companies. Thus the challenge, thus the dilemma.

It’s a great warning for all of us who are charged with the building of, maintenance and care for the health and well being of “our Brands”. Enjoy the following…there is clearly a lesson to be learned.