BA’s new CEO Keith Williams told me last week that he is delighted with the progress of the airline’s new advertising campaign. At least two very positive events have happened since Keith took over as CEO – the ending of the long standing BA Cabin Crew dispute and the launch of an impressive new promotional campaign. The TV commercial focuses on brand reassurance and BA’s 90 year heritage. Competitor reaction can be a sign of a campaign’s effectiveness. Easyjet responded with a take off (excuse the pun) of the BA advert ‘To Fly to Save’. Things don’t change. BA’s strapline in the 1980’s “We’ll take more care of you” was quickly rebranded by rivals as “We’ll take more fare off you!”. Virgin have also launched an impressive and very different commercial. It features cabin staff pole dancing around oversized forks topped with juicy prawns. The BA and Virgin adverts do, however, have something in common. They revere, almost idolise, their staff especially their pilots and cabin crew. Images of passengers are merely incidental. With a history of industrial issues, it is wise for airlines to show their staff that they are valued. With a backdrop of relentless cost cutting and price driven activity, it is also encouraging to see our leading airlines investing in brand value.
