Randy's Rants

KFC, the Unfriendly Skies, & the Real Truth About Branding
By Randy Gage
Oct 12, 2009, 16:03

 Email this article
 Printer friendly page
Do you really know what your brand is? Branding is such a funny thing. Probably the most misunderstood concept in marketing. People think their brand is their pretty logo or the clever tagline they came up with.

I've met people that think their brand is having pink hair, wearing a bowtie or suspenders. Most businesses think their brand is their corporate colors. But your true brand is none of these things.

If I was to break it down to the simplest element, the true essence of your brand is how the marketplace perceives you. And man are there some big differences in perception...

I know a professional speaker that thinks his brand is being a former TV personality. His real brand among meeting planners is a difficult to work with guy that runs up lavish room service bills and is condescending to the staff and support people.

I'm writing this on a United Airlines 747 on my way to Australia. The pilot, who seems to be a genuinely friendly fellow, ended a PA with the expression, "Thanks for flying the friendly skies." And I'm sure there are scores of suits at UA corporate and their ad agencies that believe that is the brand of United. But that brand died an agonizing death many years ago.

The UA brand today is dirty planes, inconsistent service, obnoxious surcharges and tired, overworked employees. And the battleaxe serving me in seat 3H tonight is anything but friendly. She should have retired about ten years ago, or moved to a department that didn't require interacting with humans. (Although like I said the pilot seems nice and there's another Asian flight attendant who has been gracious.) But alas, every policy you set, and every employee interaction with a customer shapes your brand, and with UA the negatives overwhelmed the positives a long time ago.

Now in their case, they're surviving, because they are based in the US, where most of the other carriers are as bad as they are or worse. And they are in a worldwide alliance connecting with some better carriers such as Singapore Airlines, which is the only reason you find me hostage on this dreadful flight.

The in-flight magazine features an article about the cabin upgrades and the new First Class cabins with lay flat beds. I'm sure the branding people are patting themselves on the back over it. But of course I'm reading this article from one of those seats. And the experience is not unlike going downhill in a bobsled with your arms pinned to your side. And the middle section of the bed bucks up every time my flight attendant stomps past.

And UA falls for the same mistake Delta, American, US Airways make as well. They realize they have an inferior product, so they hold meetings and make changes. They come up with plans for pretty new cabin décor, better seats, repaint the outside tail feathers or other changes. But instead of making the changes and then announcing the PR department rushes out a press release and the marketing folks start trumpeting the change. They retrofit one or two planes, take pictures and start beating the drum. Then the changes are "phased in" over a two to three year period. Which of course means 90 percent of their customers will still be experiencing the old execrable model while they are been marketing the new one.

So I'm sitting here reading, "Notice a brighter, cleaner appearance?" Ah, no. It goes on to say, "We're installing cool white lighting on United aircraft and, perhaps more importantly, we've doubled the frequency of our most thorough aircraft scrubbings." And all this does is call yet more attention to the dark decrepit cylinder I am flying in.

I hope you don't take this as a knock on the United employees. They've been beaten down and given up more concessions than anyone would want to endure. There are some people really trying hard in the company. (Like I said, the pilot seemed nice, the other attendant helping me, and the lady in the lounge was very professional.) But if we look at the issue of the United brand, it is the overall perception of the United customers.

And that perception is very uneven service, old unclean planes, uninviting lounges and an overall product that doesn't come close to all the breathless marketing hype. The United brand is many things, but "friendly skies" is certainly not one of them.

Here's the other issue...

I'm a very frequent flier, and I know what to expect from United. I didn't board the plane expecting great things. I'm on it because I'm doing an around the world itinerary through ten countries and by going with an alliance I get the ticket for $25,000 instead of $40,000. I can put up with one lackluster segment on UA, knowing that I'll be spoiled with service from Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, and Lufthansa for the rest of the tour. But when you make all these unrealistic marketing claims in the in-flight magazine, you just rub salt in the wounds. There has probably never been a better advertising strategy than under promise, over deliver.

The next case study of brand sabotage would have to be Kentucky Fried Chicken. For decades now, KFC has been the master of launching great marketing campaigns that are completely eviscerated by your experience in the stores. And no better example is their launch of Kentucky grilled chicken.

The campaign was well thought out, and created a lot of buzz, even bringing Oprah into the fray I'm told. The product itself is perfect for the marketplace; what health conscious consumers want to buy right now. Just like I did when they launched their breaded chicken steak and chicken chop bowls, I got lured back into KFC again.

When I grew up, it was the ultimate treat when my mom would take us to KFC for the "finger lickin' good" chicken. But of course after the Colonel sold out and the quality nose-dived, like most people I found other alternatives.

However I'm a slow learner...

So when the campaign for the grilled chicken came out, I trooped into the stores like millions of others. It really was a brilliant campaign, and they deftly worked the branding issue of offering the grilled product to go with their signature fried one. A truly great job. But then you have to go into the units and buy it, and that's where the brand self-destructs again...

It starts when you drive up and see that iconic bucket sign, which nine times out of ten, is so yellowed with age it should have been replaced 15 years ago. Then you enter the store and the first thing you notice is the overflowing garbage cans, greasy floor and not a single table cleaned so you can eat there. If you dare enter the restroom, the odds are pretty slim you'll find a trifecta of toilet tissue, soap and hand towels. If you get two out of three, you're ahead of the game.

The mashed potatoes taste like wallpaper paste, the corn on the cob has been soaking in water for a week, and the cole slaw is dry and bland. And you'll find KFC has some of the worst trained staff of any fast food chain.

Now I try to eat healthy, avoid lots of red meat and I genuinely like the new grilled chicken product. So I've probably had it at least 15 times since the launch. Once I went in 45 before closing and they were out of all grilled chicken, all fried white meat, mashed potatoes and Dr. Pepper. At least six times they were so understaffed that you wait in line while your cashier rings you up, and then has to go back and fill the order herself.

Think what could have been with this...

They truly have launched a perfect product for the times. Imagine if they had invested in a renovation program first, to update so many of their 20 and 30 year old stores. Picture if they would have spent six months, really training their staff members. And what about if they would have required every unit to hire an additional staff member who did nothing but pick up the parking lot in the morning, keep the restrooms cleaned and stocked, and was in the dining room from 12-2 and 5-8, wiping off tables, sweeping the floor and emptying the garbage.

Imagine having a brand of tasty food, friendly efficient service, and a bright clean restaurant. Now that would be a brand!

Before we leave the subject, let's talk about some brands to do things better. Dr. Pepper has always done a great job staying congruent with how they're perceived by their customers. The new "I'm a doctor" campaign with the spots by Dr. Dre and Gene Simmons of KISS are brilliant.

Gatorade has always done a sensational job positioning themselves. I'm not sure switching to 'G' is the right move, but the "That's G!" commercials are simply sublime.

And Pepsi has done some weird things with billboards and print ads with lots of weird colors off the normal brand that I think is a mistake. But the "Forever Young" spots they've been running on the baseball games are as good as anything ever seen.

And of course there is the old standby, the SportsCenter promos on ESPN. The perfect mix of cheekiness, fun and passion for sports that mirror their viewers and the show itself. Great job.

Brands to watch...

A couple interesting branding scenarios are unfolding. Proctor & Gamble has a new business incubator and they are testing two intriguing possibilities:

The first is a Tide branded dry cleaners. Not sure how this will play out. But the second idea looks to have stronger legs to me. It's a Mr. Clean brand car wash.

Currently in testing, the units offer Wi-Fi, coffee bars and super soaker squirt guns where the kids can spray soap on the cars. No one has ever done a national brand car wash, and the unique service and fun approach, plus the Mr. Clean brand could prove to be a winner. In any event, it's an interesting idea to try and take products and turn them into a service.

Now let's go back to your brand...

What do you think it really is? Have you gotten taken with your logo, tag line and corporate colors, or have you really thought about what your customers perceive you as? Would your customers agree with your perception of their perception?

When's the last time you anonymously called your order or customer service department? Do you solicit real feedback from your customers? Have you hired people that tell you what you want to hear, or people that will tell you the truth? It's worth some real critical thinking.

I'm back in Sydney, starting a tour that will take me through Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, and Germany - then home for a day before an event in Houston.

I'll check in along the way and give you an update how things are going. In the meantime you can connect with me on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Randy_Gage. Have a great week!

-RG

© MMXI Randy Gage. All Rights Reserved.

Get Randy's Rants direct to your in-box. Subscribe below.

Name:
Email:
Like on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Watch Prosperity TV
Connect on LinkedIn
Add to Google+ Circle

Share the Love