MAKING AN AUTHENTIC PROMISE

Making an authentic brand promise is the key to having satisfied customers. A strong brand promise emphasises the airline’s core identity, visual and otherwise, and reflects its clear differentiation and positioning in the marketplace. Sometimes, airlines get so consumed by day-to-day operations that they disregard this aspect of the business and set false or ambiguous expectations. In other cases, brands set extremely high expectations and fail to deliver.

An accurate projection of what an airline is about and the experience it will deliver to the customer is the essence of brand eXpectation.

Clarity and focus should drive a brand’s promise, with the aim of creating a lasting impression in the potential customer’s mind. Ideally, the positioning should hit logical and emotional chords and differentiate the airline from its competitors. Differentiation could come in terms of key strengths like pricing, service, or even destinations. When it comes to price differentiation, budget airlines like WIZZ and Southwest are some of the best. Legacy carriers like Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand rule the skies in terms of setting expectations of exceptional service. The likes of Turkish Airlines often tout the number of destinations they fly to.

Setting the right brand expectations goes beyond traditional advertising mediums. Efforts should be focused on reaching potential customers where they are present. The aim should be to set the right tone for the engagement – to entice the customer for the first time and subsequently induce loyalty. However, the real test is when the customer experiences the product—by finally flying the airline.