How Montana and Spirit Airlines Won by Being Honest - With Chris Do | Episode 345

Summary

Podcast Summary: "How Montana and Spirit Airlines Won by Being Honest" | Episode 345

Title: How Montana and Spirit Airlines Won by Being Honest
Host: The Futur with Chris Do
Release Date: May 10, 2025
Duration Covered: [00:00] – [09:24]

Introduction: The Power of Brand Execution

In Episode 345 of The Futur Podcast, host Chris Do delves into the critical relationship between brand perception and execution. He emphasizes that while ideas in business are plentiful, it is the execution that truly determines success. Chris asserts that a brand must be treated with the same seriousness as any product or service, ensuring that every aspect—from hiring to customer interactions—aligns with the brand's promise.

Chris Do (00:20): "In business, ideas are cheap. It's execution that wins the game."

Brand Perception vs. Internal Image

Chris discusses the concept of brand perception, citing Marty Neumeier’s definition: "a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or organization." He highlights the frequent misalignment between a company's internal brand image and public perception, asserting that public perception ultimately defines the brand's success.

Case Study: Chevy Camaro

Chris uses the example of Chevy's attempt to modernize the Camaro with electric or hybrid engines. This shift diluted the vehicle's core identity as a loud and powerful American muscle car, leading to negative audience reactions.

Chris Do (02:10): "The perception from the audience is Chevy's lost their way, they've neutered this masculine vehicle and they're moving in the wrong direction."

Case Study: Jaguar's Rebranding Effort

Similarly, Jaguar's rebranding to appeal to a more feminine and inclusive demographic sparked backlash from traditionalists who felt the brand's heritage was being compromised.

Chris Do (03:00): "People were up in arms saying, what'd you do to my Jaguar brand?"

Addressing Brand Misalignment

To rectify such misalignments, Chris recommends two key strategies:

1. Social Listening: Understand what the public is saying about your brand through reviews and feedback.
2. Honest Self-Assessment: Acknowledge discrepancies between the intended brand image and public perception.

Chris Do (04:00): "You have to do a little bit of social listening to see what they're really saying and to have an honest conversation with yourself."

The Domino's Pizza Revival

Chris shares Domino's transformative journey as a prime example of effective brand execution. Once perceived as a low-quality option, Domino's undertook a comprehensive overhaul of their pizza recipe and operations. They engaged influencers by offering free pizzas without any expectations, leading to genuine, positive word-of-mouth.

Chris Do (04:50): "Domino's thought they had a really good pizza. But their dough tasted like cardboard... They hired consultants and chefs to fix their entire pizza-making operation."

The rebranding extended to their packaging, shifting from a generic logo to a more personable and vibrant design, significantly improving public perception.

Chris Do (05:15): "My perception of the brand is so different than it used to be. We enjoy it very much."

Embracing Honesty in Branding

Chris underscores the importance of embracing your brand's true identity, even if it means highlighting imperfections. He uses several examples to illustrate this approach:

Spirit Airlines: Owning Its Budget Nature

Spirit Airlines openly acknowledges its status as a low-cost carrier, likening itself to "a bus with wings." By not overpromising and embracing its identity, Spirit fosters a genuine connection with its customers.

Chris Do (06:20): "Spirit doesn't want to tell you they're Virgin Atlantic. They're just so laughable if they were trying to claim that. So the best thing that you do then is you just lean into it."

Southwest Airlines: Infusing Personality

Southwest Airlines maintains profitability despite being a discount carrier by infusing humor and personality into its services. Their flight attendants often act as part-time comedians, creating a fun and memorable customer experience.

Chris Do (07:00): "Their announcements are weird, they're wacky and they tell jokes. So it's kind of like, are you a flight attendant or part-time stand-up comic?"

Montana Tourism Board: Turning Negativity into a Strength

Faced with negative perceptions about lacking attractions, the Montana Tourism Board launched a campaign with the tagline "Nothing Here." By embracing the criticism and showcasing Montana's pristine wilderness, they effectively redirected the narrative to highlight the state's natural beauty.

Chris Do (08:10): "They came up with a campaign that showed pristine, untouched wilderness... they said, nothing here. Isn't that genius?"

Las Vegas: Balancing Reputation and Evolution

Las Vegas exemplifies the challenge of evolving beyond its "sin city" stereotype. While acknowledging its reputation, the city strives to showcase a more diverse and sophisticated image.

Chris Do (09:00): "We're just saying we have a secret pact not to tell our significant others or bosses or employees what happens here."

Conclusion: Authenticity as a Brand Strategy

Chris Do concludes by reinforcing the idea that authenticity and honesty in representing a brand can lead to stronger customer connections and a more resilient brand image. By addressing perceptions head-on and aligning execution with brand values, companies can overcome challenges and achieve sustained success.

Chris Do (09:15): "If it's not great, at least bring personality to it. Bring sense of humor, bring some charm."

Key Takeaways

• Execution is Paramount: Successful branding relies more on execution than on ideas alone.
• Align Perception with Reality: Ensure that the public perception of your brand matches your intended image through consistent actions and communications.
• Embrace Authenticity: Honest representation of your brand, including its limitations, can foster genuine customer relationships.
• Learn from Case Studies: Brands like Domino's, Spirit Airlines, and the Montana Tourism Board demonstrate effective strategies for realigning brand perception.

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This summary captures the essence of Episode 345 of The Futur Podcast, highlighting Chris Do's insights on brand execution and perception. For a deeper understanding, listening to the full episode is recommended.

Transcript

[Chris Do]

We know that in business, ideas are cheap. It's execution that wins the game. So you have to take your brand as seriously as you do in a product or delivery of a service. You have to take it all the way through. So you have to hire different, you have to hire better. You have to train and implement certain things so that people are living up to the promise of the brand. We recall that a brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service organization as defined by brand legend himself, Marty Neumeyer. So what happens if you're in a situation where the perception of your brand is different than your own image in your mind or what you wish it to be, and this happens all the time, there's a misalignment. And if we go with the conceit that your brand isn't what you say and it's what they say it is, then the only one that really matters is what they say it is. And we know that. Recently, I think Chevy got into some heat because they came out with a Camaro that is electric, I believe, or a hybrid engine that loses all of the identity of Camaro, which is American muscle car that's loud and powerful. And so the perception from the audience is Chevy's lost their way, they've neutered this masculine vehicle and they're moving in the wrong direction. There's another one that came. I don't know why I'm talking about car companies, but with Jaguars, Jaguars rebrand and trying to appeal to a whole different demographic that's more feminine, that's more inclusive, that's more fashion forward than the traditional heritage. They changed everything about it. And so people were up in arms saying, what'd you do to my Jaguar brand? Okay, so here we are. What if you're one of those companies where your own internal perception or where you'd like to be is the one that aligns with public perception? Well, I think number one is you have to do a little bit of social listening to see what they're really saying and to have a honest conversation with yourself to say, like, it doesn't matter what we say, we do. If people don't perceive that, then it's just an intention, it's an idea. But when that intention meets reality, the cold hard truth comes out. Let's say you're really a customer service oriented company, that you believe in excellence in customer service, but you don't train the right way, you don't hire the right way. So that when someone goes to your place of business, they have a Very different perception. Parking is confusing. Customer service is rude. People very curt. No one goes out of the way to help you. So you see now where the real problem is. Ultimately, the problem lies in you and how you've been able to execute on an idea. We know that in business, ideas are cheap. It's execution that wins the game. So you have to take your brand as seriously as you do in a product or delivery of a service. You have to take it all the way through. So you have to hire different, you have to hire better. You have to train and implement certain things so that people are living up to the promise of the brand. Now, let's just say you've done all that stuff. You've read the reviews, you've done the social listening, you understand what people are saying, the sentiment, both good and bad, and you've gone to fix that. What can you do? You have to tackle the perception head on. You have to address it. Previously we failed. We were negligent in delivering the world class service that we thought we had. We had to go through internal audit. And we've changed. Give us a second chance. The next drink or the next something is on us. And allow us to show you this. Now you might sit there and think, Kris, that's pretty nice from the world of your imagination. But how does this work in reality? When reality Domino's Pizza did this very thing. They thought they had a really good pizza. But Domino's is the kind of pizza you used to order when you had no other options. No one would deliver, no one was open and you would just order Domino's. Their dough tastes like cardboard, their cheese wasn't tasty, the toppings weren't premium. And so they went through this very expensive process and hired consultants and chefs to fix their entire pizza making operation. Then what they did was they reach out to a bunch of influencers, said, we're going to just send you pizza. We're not asking you to do anything. If you like it, talk about it. If you don't talk about it, we're good to go. Would you be willing to do that? And they sent a bunch of pizzas to people who were influential and like, wow, this is very different. And it's reflected today in the packaging. If you look at the packaging of today versus a few years back where the box was mostly a blue and red Domino's logo to one that feels like it's got attitude and it's hand drawn, it's got a lot of personality to it, as if it were from a smaller Pizzeria in New York City, somewhere that has a whole vibe. And in fact, it's done such a good job that my perception of the brand is so different than it used to be. My son and I, we like pizza and we like dirty, greasy pizza, not the artisanal, high pinky pizza. We like this kind of dirty American pizza. And Domino's is something we do like and we enjoy it very much. So that's how people in the real world, in Fortune 100 companies have done this. You tackle the objection or the belief or the perception heads on and you do me a culpa. You say, we've messed up, we failed, we will try harder, give us a shot, and here's what we're willing to do to make it up to you.

[Rich Cardona]

It's time for a quick break, but we'll be right back.

[Chris Do]

Just a few months. We're going to hit our 400th episode of this podcast and before we get there, we want to take a moment to really listen to you, our loyal listeners. If you're open to chatting with my producer, Rich Cardona, or someone on his team, we'd love to hear from you. Just fill out the short form in the show notes. It takes less than 20 seconds. Want to make the most of the opportunities coming your way this year? I'd like to invite you to join me inside the Future Pro membership, your ace in the hole for 2024. With expert guidance and a supportive community, the Future Pro membership was created as your ultimate business lifeline. And we have years testimonials from members to prove it. Check it out. TheFuture.com Pro.

[Rich Cardona]

And Rebecc, welcome back to our conversation.

[Chris Do]

Let's say you're Spirit Airlines, which is really bargain flying. It's very like a bus with wings, right? And what Spirit doesn't want to do is tell you they're Virgin Atlantic. They're not going to tell you they're Singapore Airlines or Emirates, because they can't. They're just so laughable if they were trying to claim that. So the best thing that you do then is you just lean into it. You're like the cheapest fares and we're barely better than a bus. And then people say they have a sense of humor. I like them. They're being really honest. You know, we like people who are honest with themselves and with us. And we know better that you're not trying to pull the wool over our eyes. And we feel a connection there. Southwest has done a really good job of making their airline great and Profitable. Despite being a discount airline, they've revolutionized how people get on the plane. You don't have pre assigned seats, they barely even give you anything to eat. And they all fly the exact same kind of jet. But what they do is they say fare fares. And I like that. It's like, we're not going to tell you it's the best. And they encourage their employees, the flight attendants, to have fun. So their announcements are weird, they're wacky and they tell jokes. So it's kind of like, are you a flight attendant or part time stand up comic? And we're just embracing this, right? Like, oh, the captain is turn on a sign that means please sit down. That yes, you in row three, sit down please. You know, and they have a good sense of humor and I like that. So they said it's just a famous line in Pulp Fiction, right? There's an argument between Samuel L. Jackson's character and John Travolta's character. And they're talking about pork. And he's like, you don't eat pork. No, pork is a filthy animal. And he goes, but pork tastes good. And he goes, well, you ain't gonna eat a dog, are you? Well, he's a dog's got a personality. And so he's like, would you give up bacon? He goes, that pig better have a really good personality for me to give up something so delicious. So what I'm saying in that, that rough comparison here is if it's not great, at least bring personality to it. Bring sense of humor, bring some charm. Here's one last example I'll share with that. The Montana Tourism Board was seeing that, you know, we're not getting a lot of tourism here. So they hired an ad agency to figure out how they can bring more people to Montana to spend their money. States like that need your tourism dollars. So they went and did an audit. They questioned a lot of people. They did focus groups and time and time again, what people would say like, yeah, what do you think about Montana? There's nothing here. There's nothing here. Like, okay, what do we do with that? So they came up with a campaign that showed pristine, untouched wilderness, mountains and rivers and streams. And they came up with a tagline. Guess what? They said, nothing here. Isn't that genius? And you're like, you're right. You're not fighting my perception. Another one, even more famous than this one, way more famous is what happens in Las Vegas. And you know the rest of the story because we're not going to pretend like bad stuff doesn't happen here. We're just saying we have a secret pact not to tell our significant others or bosses or employees what happens here. It's worked so well that Las Vegas needs to change its image about themselves because they feel like they've outgrown the sin city of stereotype. Good luck with that.

[Rich Cardona]

Thanks for joining us. If you haven't already, subscribe to our show on your favorite podcasting app and get new insightful episodes from us every week. The Future Podcast is hosted by Chris do and produced and edited by Rich Cardona Media. Thank you to Adam Sanborn for our intro music. If you enjoyed this episode, then do us a favor by reviewing and rating our show on Apple Podcasts. It will help us grow the show and make future episodes that much better. If you'd like to support the show and invest in yourself while you're at it, visit the Future and you'll find video courses, digital products, and a bunch of helpful resources about design and the creative business. Thanks again for listening and we'll see you next time.