Put that in your Fyfe and smoke it
The editorial in last week’s Listener, ‘Turbulence Ahead’, was based around Air New Zealand’s proposed trans-Tasman allegiance with Virgin Blue and how it seemed as though the national carrier was on its way to becoming a budget airline, which, according to the writer, contradicted the ‘premium carrier’ tag it was using in its marketing. Turns out chief executive Rob Fyfe was so incensed by the article that he felt the need to respond on camera in an effort to draw attention to the facts.
And, perhaps not surprisingly, given the relatively recent adoption of a riskier, more irreverent approach to its marketing, Fyfe has chosen to do it in tongue and cheeky Air New Zealand style, playing up the contradiction between the publication’s name and the fact it obviously hadn’t been listening with a speech performed in sign language. You can see it at www.dearlistener.co.nz.
Fyfe was filmed yesterday and a teaser went out last night on the Air New Zealand facebook page: “From chief executive’s Rob Fyfe’s page: ‘Who said men aren’t good listeners?’ Find out more here tomorrow.” And this morning the airline ran ads in a couple of newspapers with a response to the Listener’s claims and a link to Fyfe’s speech.
These days, whenever a chief executive goes on camera it’s usually to apologise for the boogers in the pizza or bits of orangutan in the chocolate etc etc, but this fairly confrontational, almost prideful response to what he felt were erroneous claims in the media is a slightly different use of the online medium. And, with the airline’s large online and social media presence and extensive network of fans and followers, it shows how quick-moving businesses like Air New Zealand are able to snatch back the mouthpiece and have their own say.
Apparently, according to an Air New Zealand source, this is the first time Fyfe has reacted this strongly to a publication that has “missed some common truths” about the airline. Of course, there hasn’t been too much in the way of bad news to report on the Air New Zealand front lately, so it was probably a bit of a shock to get any negative press at all. Even so, if we know journalists, while it’s a shot aimed directly at the publication (and the writer), there’ll also no doubt be a small sense of accomplishment that the story managed to wind him up so much.
Andy
May 14, 2010
Air New Zealand is becoming a cult of personality. Opportunity: Rob's qualities and passions become the brand's qualities and passions. Risk: the same goes for his failings.
Mike
May 14, 2010
This is a sure sign that Rob has lost the plot.
How dare a reporter write anything other than compliments!
How dare they not comment on his good looks!
Welcome to the cult of personality.
Jen
May 14, 2010
Mike, If the reporter wrote fact, then what Robs doing is mighty suspect, but he's just responding in a rather novel (and viral) way. Good on ya I think. Personality? I think all for it.
Dave Small
May 14, 2010
Classic! Good on ya mate.
agency girl
May 14, 2010
No mention of the agency here – hello?! Nice work, 99.
Fi W
May 14, 2010
Smart thinking, a humorous approach and best of all a corporate which is not afraid to go where others fear to tread. Good on them!
Ash
May 14, 2010
Love it. About times someone stood up to the non "Listener" which is typical of APN
paul
May 14, 2010
utter bollocks. press ad could simply have said something like "listener doesn't" – made the point and moved on – no. instead, there's a bunch of indulgent 'digital' crap. maybe, agency girl, 99 didn't want a mention.
Barry
May 14, 2010
Colenso & Air NZ – way to go… very clever and a nice touch by way of response. Right or wrong it doesn't matter… a bloody nice piece of communication
Rob Bree
May 14, 2010
Never mind Rob Fyfe. How come noone's mentioning the lady doing the signing? She really steals the show. Good to look at and great facial expressions. Saw her on morning TV at a school demonstrating signing. Go girl!
Carlos
May 14, 2010
Another bloody good example of wasting money for ego's sake.
erin
May 14, 2010
I would rather have cheaper flights than see Rob ranting in expensive newspaper ads!
Gerry Kookmeyer
May 14, 2010
Paul fella – I'm picking agency girl is from 99.
What odds on Fyfe's bio being called 'The Ego Has Landed'?
Sylvie
May 14, 2010
Rob Fyfe – looking more and more like a rock star CEO.
Who does that remind me of?
Oh right … that Branson fella!
Duncan Stuart
May 14, 2010
And good on the Listener for their story. We're better off for living in a place where journalists can follow their hunches and put together well argued pieces – which the Listener mostly manages to do. Fyfe's response is way more constructive than Bob Jones' pugilistic 'sue the bastards' approach.
Jason
May 14, 2010
Go girl?!
Diminutive sexist language Rob.
Matt
May 14, 2010
Good on Air NZ for a brand standing up to garbage and doing it an innovative way. And having a sense of humour. Brilliant.
James
May 14, 2010
I think Stop Press and others have short memories. It was only a couple of months ago Air NZ got incensed about Police and TV3 commenting on pilots hitting the bottle. On that occasion Fyfe's response was of a more conventional 'venting spleen' nature. This time they're using wit instead of angst – very nice!
Steve O
May 14, 2010
Sure hope he isn't using my shareholder dollars for this!!!!
B
May 14, 2010
Garbage? I believe it was an opinion piece and not touted as a 'story'….is this no longer allowed in free press in this country?
Wondering why Mr Fyfe didn't have the same reaction to the Herald story that ran in the business pages on 6th May. Was it really saying anything more positive about the prospective merger?
And Rob, let's be a little more honest, when has a reduction in market competition ever had a positive effect on the consumer's experience?
Carlos
May 14, 2010
Positive comments; Air NZ Staff and Agency Staff
Negative comments: Real people.
Daniel
May 14, 2010
and NZ's tall pop syndrome strikes again. good on you Rob/agency for seizing the opportunity. yes he's creating cult status, probably because airnz is one of very few airlines actually doing well, and they've done this by daring to be different and breaking the mould.
Carlos
May 14, 2010
No not tall poppy, just been around long enough to reconize this for what it is.
And they're not that daring or different. In fact the service, which is the product, of the staff leaves a lot to be desired. I've traveled a lot in my time and on many airlines and I liken the 'look-down-their-nose-stuck-up' attitude to 'service' as very similar to Pan Am (when they were alive)and United. They could do a lot by learning from the Asian airlines who understand what service is really about. Maybe it would be better for their senior management to spend on training to improving core product instead of beating their chests in public.
Observing from a distance
May 14, 2010
Is it me, or have Air New Zealand got a little big for their boots recently? Over the last few years the way they've developed their service delivery has been quite stunning. Their adoption of digital channels and intuitive understanding of the customer experience is a case study in service delivery (I've lost count of how many people I've shown my mPass iPhone app to). As well as delivering a great service, they also delivered on their New Zealandness. Fyfe was 'one of us' but a great leader too.
And then suddenly they got irreverent, a little arrogant and more polarising than they needed to be. Cougars and P-addicts in the ad campaigns, and now Fyfe signing the word 'bollocks' in a video response to a magazine article that was unfavourable to them. Word has it that Geoff Ross has been consulting to Air New Zealand and doesn't there now seem to be an element of 'fuck you' about them that never existed before, and has more than a hint of 42 Below about it?
I hope they don't lose sight of their core proposition. Air New Zealand's job is to fly people from A to B. And they have to do it 1) safely, 2) on time 3) in comfort and 4) at a good price. Nothing else really matters (although it is great that they fly the flag for NZ the way they do, have nice uniforms etc).
I think it's fantastic that they welcome big marketing ideas. And sure they can be entertaining, create personality, make Grab a Seat edgy if they think they must, but I hope they don’t let the brand gurus put them into territory they'll look foolish in if (God forbid) anything goes wrong with one of their flights. A bank might drop some money into the wrong account or have a phishing problem, a mobile phone provider might have a network outage, a power company might turn the lights off for a while. Air New Zealand's worst-case catastrophe is much, much bigger. That has to be a factor as they develop their brand personality. Sounds a bit dramatic, but one day it might happen.
But more than anything, when you become arrogant you inherently lose your New Zealandness. And I don't think Air New Zealand should let that happen.
Marty
May 14, 2010
Such a palava for a magazine that is past it's prime! Even the tv listings look dull in that magazine. Surely ANZ could have saved the money for election year when he runs for leader of the Labour Party?
Debra
May 14, 2010
Isn't a CEO who lives the brand personality what we all pray for as marketers? Nothing wrong with standing up for what you believe in!
Rob Fyfe
May 14, 2010
What a great thread – I love it!! And I love that we live in a country where a jounalist can have an opinion and express it and a CEO is allowed an opinion and can express it too, as can all of you via this blog.
We certainly don't want to become arrogant, but please allow us a little giggle and a laugh every now then just as the Editor of the Listener and I were having on the phone as this thread was unfolding.
I can't deny feeling proud of the 12,000 New Zealanders who worked their butts off to see Air New Zealand awarded as the best airline in the world at this years ATW Global Airline awards. That being said I don't have a particular problem with the Listener telling us we're about to stuff it all up – but thought its kinda fair that we should have some right of reply, given the number of errors made in the editorial.
And yes Victoria is a star and gorgeous with it – he pride the deaf community gained today in this little bit of fun and the profile it gave to NZ's 3rd official language of signing – was prize enough for me.
Have a great week-end . . . Rob
Tee
May 16, 2010
Good on you Rob Fyfe Air NZ must be extremely proud to have you as a CEO. You show great loyalty and passion in the airline, dont let the negativity stop you from being the best airline in the world!
Mike
May 17, 2010
smug much?
West Brom for Premiership
May 17, 2010
Dear Rob – you seem to get most things right. But you need to watch your use of apostrophes (or lack of). I hope my advice doesn't fall on deaf ears. Keep smiling.
courtney lambert @cjlambert
May 18, 2010
Massive overreaction to one little editorial. Cute but not very smart. Too much of your own kool-aid Air NZ.
Steve O
May 18, 2010
Kinda like the Listener ads this weekend too… all good.
And cheers Rob for joining in the thread… nice. Boots 'n all… my only worry is my Koru Lounge will be overrun by Pac Blue travellers… especially in Melbourne, which is nearly always stressed to the max with PAX!
Tourism Industry Blog
May 18, 2010
Nice work Rob, not many CEO's would have the personality to pull off the video you produced, so well done on hitting the mark with the right "tone". Maybe you should write for us on our tourism industry blog!
Vincent Heeringa
May 18, 2010
Big ups to Rob for dropping into the thread.
And clever ploy by the AirNZ marketers to turn what could be a dry, earnest (in other words very NZ Listener) debate about the transTasman airline industry.
One of the joys of social media for me has been the rediscovery of humour in public discourse. Yes there's the professional comedians, Te radar et al, who are genuinely funny; but then there's the gentle prodding that's going on all the time in blogs (I'm not talking about the hysterical morons at Kiwiblog and/or Interest.co.nz) such as Spareoom, NBR and Stoppress.
Keep it coming, clever clogs
Helen Keller
May 20, 2010
Deaf as well as dumb. Next, we'll see Rob with a guide dog and a white cane, pleading ignorance.
"No wire hangers!!"
May 20, 2010
Poor Fob Ryfe has queened out because he can't control freedom of the press. Imagine the tears rung from sopping pink shirts. Imagine the tiara smashing across the floor, tears streaming through the cold cream…
"NO WIRE HANGERS!"
How does one find time to a) manage a business, and, b) trawl the blogs posting comments about one's self.
Good on Pam Stirling for spotting the red herring. Customers have not asked Air New Zealand to pay the same and get less. There is a difference between genuine demand driven product development versus covering up cost cutting. And why does Air New Zealand need to cut costs? Because it's managers aren't expanding their business by building demand.
No amount of panic by Team Goebbels at Fanshawe St will change the reality that Air New Zealand's brand is in tatters. Why? Because they've spent years subsidising Fob Ryfe's self promotion instead of building the Air New Zealand brand.
And really, who does that personality brand appeal to? Pink flights? Fat chix? The Exclusive Brethren?
Dissing the deaf community doesn't build a brand either. Perhaps finding a CEO who will manage an airline will.