RSS for tag 'newyorker'

when category impressions overshadow brands

09/15/2007 06:50:59 PM (1)
There was a good piece in the New Yorker, a couple of weeks back, by James "Wisdom of the Crowds" Surowiecki on why consumers tolerate delays on airlines.

"In other words, we’re stuck with the current system, because it isn’t really in any airline’s interest to try to change it. As long as no airline makes a dedicated effort to distinguish itself from the pack, all the airlines can stay lean, even at the expense of quality. In that sense, the most honest thing about the airlines may be their advertising, which tends to emphasize the flying experience—lulling us with talk of leg room and fully reclining seats. You may end up waiting on the runway for a couple of hours, the message seems to be, but at least you’ll do it in a comfortable chair."

The challenge appears to be for those who are trying to do something genuinely different- Jet Blue, Southwest and Virgin.

How do they avoid getting lumped into the category?

How do they also motivate their staff to care and raise standards, when the competition is doing such a bad job?

How and can do they do more than promise a comfortable chair?

It's interesting to think of other categories were the image of the category is so strongly ingrained, it's very tough for brands to push against it.

Banking is an obvious one.


Posted by Ed Cotton
Tags: virgin (2) southwest (1) branding (51) brands (19) jetblue (2) airlines (6) newyorker (1)

Articles for tag newyorker (1 total).