Flying the friendly skies

In 1965, the Leo Burnett advertising agency created one of the most iconic advertising taglines in U.S. history. Burnett's client, United Airlines, began an ad campaign that year that used "Fly the Friendly Skies of United" and those words stayed in place for 30 years.

The tagline was so iconic that United, and its then ad agency, brought back "Fly the Friendly Skies" in 2013 with a new campaign designed to reignite the glory days of the airline.

My, my - what then do we make of this current situation with United? The current firestorm created by video of a passenger being forcibly removed from a flight due to an overbooking situation has, of course, gone viral. And, a company already challenged by a recent proxy fight and leadership changes is in a full-fledged public relations crisis.

Shares in United Continental Holdings were down 2.6% this morning. If the company's stock is down that much at the closing bell, it will experience a $600 million reduction in its market cap.

What's this brand in crisis to do? Here are some thoughts.

Admit the wrong. As of this morning, United CEO Oscar Munoz has offered an apology that's backhanded at best. That's not good enough. Munoz needs to immediately apologize to the passenger who was forcibly removed and reach out to him directly with a meaningful expression of contrition; he also needs to personally apologize to the others that were asked to leave the flight as well as those on that plane who witnessed the heavy-handed handling of the situation. Quit suggesting that this is protocol or intimating that it was justified - it was not.

Change the overbooking policy. There is no frequent traveler on the planet who likes an airline's overbooking policy. So, United, change it! Just as your airline stood for something in the mid-1960's, have it stand for something now.

Start a conversation with your primary customers. There are airports such as Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles that are key for United's success. Travelers in these markets, and others, rely upon United as their primary carrier - it's imperative that the airline establish a dialogue as the first step toward a more meaningful relationship with these travelers. This communication must happen immediately - with contrition, a re-commitment to the values that formerly made United great, and an explanation of what the airline is going to do to improve the flying experience.

Communicate broadly, starting from within. If ever there was a time to activate an integrated, meaningful rehabilitation of the brand, this is it. Recommit to values that improve the flying experience and empower the airline's associates to do whatever is necessary; wherever, whenever and whatever the situation, to make a passenger feel appreciated and thanked. Live this commitment through meaningful actions that can be communicated in broad fashion through all media channels. And, put checks-and-balances in place so that protocol and policy don't get in the way of the best consumer experience possible, whether it's at the gate, on the tarmac, in the air, or upon landing.

Can United survive? Yes, it can, but not without significant, immediate actions from the top down and from the inside out.