It Doesn't Matter How Great Your Marketing Is

Sometimes marketing doesn't matter.  If your product sucks, all the marketing in the world can't fix it.  I traveled this weekend with my family on United Airlines.  I have been an extremely loyal United customer for a long time.  I have flown over a million miles with them (I know this because they were so happy that they sent me a little plastic card that said so...along with two upgrades --wow --).  I have been loyal during good times and bad whether it was labor issues, restructures, lost luggage, you name it.

Well this weekend, our flight involved two aircraft.  The first a 777, and the second a 757.  Both planes are pretty standard on most of the major airlines around the world.  The 777 flight went well.  In fact I must say, the flight crew was probably one of the nicest I've encountered in some time.  On the second plane, the flight crew was fine, but the plane was ready for the scrap yard.  There was grime around the seat areas (you know where you pull the trays out) that was caked on.  Plastic parts were cracked and broken.  Everything on the plane was either dirty, old or broken.  One of the TV monitors didn't work, so part of the plane could not see the movie.  Some of us, could see the movie, but the sound system would short out, so we couldn't hear it.  The john's looked like Porta-Pottys at the end of a long outdoor concert (and somehow had become permanently stained blue by that blue water they use).  We were on a five hour flight, so is it too much to ask for clean pillows and blankets?  I think you get the picture - the plane sucked.

So what is my point.  United Airlines has a huge marketing department and spends millions on advertising and promotion.  Living in Chicago hardly a day passes that I am not exposed to the company at least a dozen times.  All the marketing was undone in a single flight, because despite marketing's best efforts, the experience failed to deliver.  During the trip my wife and I decided next time, we are going to try another carrier (so much for Mr. Loyal 1 Million Mile Flyer).

So, ask yourself a simple question.  Does your customer's experience with your product align with your marketing?  Unless the user experience far exceeds your marketing claims (in which case you are hurting yourself), you should probably change one or the other.  My suggestion, improve the experience, and your business is likely to grow.

Comments

[Jim Caruthers]

Exactly what Seth Godin would say. Too many organizations spend too much money marketing a mediocre product when they could take that money and spend it on doing whatever they can to give the customer a remarkable experience.

[DAN]

SEND THIS TO GLENN.TILTON@UAL.COM