• Gen Y don't mind failing
• Gen Y are into collaboration and doing stuff without waiting for permission
• Gen Y need to disrupt more

• Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
• Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Sticking another stiletto into a stuffy British Airways image of strikes and baggage strife (Still Red Hot, ahem), the latest US-UK ad for Virgin Atlantic has spooned another dollop of seductive strategy to the distinct brand image. The strapline You're airline's either got it or it hasn't and the rockstar soundtrack emphasise the sexy, suave and surreal sense of the ad.

Whilst it's probably easy to throw some glitter and money to make a jazzy TV commercial, it's the depth in the building of the brand alongside this that is intriguing. In a market driven by price, it's unique to see an airline promote itself on the focus of service at an acute distance to cost concerns. Virgin Atlantic's success is in this substance. An Upper Class tickets includes being chauffeured door-to-door by limousine, the longest flat-beds in the skies, an onboard bar, ten inch TVs and the swankiest of airport clubhouses. 00Heaven! It's positively Aeropussy.

With other airlines upping their game too, particularly through current marketing trends (e.g. purchase flights on Delta's Facebook page, Lufthansa's MySkyStatus, or Air New Zealand's personality pledge and naked safety virals), it's very easy to find faults with Virgin Atlantic's approach to a TV/cinema campaign - i.e. the outdated brand-centric view of the ticket being the desire. Virgin Atlantic's development is not in providing consumers with additional content or access, but providing customers with an improved service and experience - the reason of purchase. And in a volatile industry that is now seeing a better-than-expected recovery, such a traditional campaign may not be a short-sighted view. 

It's going glutton in a no-frills market. Virgin Atlantic is seductively standing out from it's competitors. And for the youthful, the need to belong and to be significant are timeless fundamentals.

Fallon Brainfood x VCU Brandcenter: The Engagement Opportunity

• Digital strategy seeks to bridge the gaps betwixt technology, the creative idea, the target as user, the business objectives and the brand.

Let's begin with seamlessnes: this idea seems to dangle from the points on numerous slides. All the content, campaigns and brand should modestly hang together so that everything stands worthwhile alone, but is also comprehensible when taken in one digestible swoop. I guess that this is important for the client to see - they need to understand and share the enthusiasm. It also seems important at the beginning too for a planning department - for scope; to bestride a brief and look forward to the objectives. 

 

• From '360 execution' towards 'brand molecule'

Creative couture! One big idea doesn't necessarily fit every platform best. The most engaging content on YouTube now is rarely a TV ad that can be looped, 'Liked' and LOL'd at. It might need more than one immaculate creative conception. At a base level, why would you take a brand's Facebook wall post and trace it into a tweet? The engagement style with consumers is different (e.g. Facebook can easily facilitate discussion groups whilst Twitter best serves one-on-one conversations and responses.) Surely this makes working for a brand a lot more exciting? And more $$$ (hopefully)!

 

• From campaigns to commitments

A core idea that's a more idea. Something that says amazeballs about the brand not because of a jazzy campaign nor ornamental iPhone app but because of it's wealth, utility and commitment to the consumer's life - this makes it amazeballs.

 

• From hubs towards spoke

“The next great media company won’t have a website, it will be all spokes and no hub. It will exist as a constellation of connected apps and widgest that live inside other sites and offer a full experience plus access to your social graph and robust community features.” Steve Rubel

Micro and websites are not the centre of the user's world. Whilst Zuckerburg's place is currently the world's own frat house, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be in ten, five or even three years time. Immediacy is nothing without relevance. Presence on these platforms are valuable because they facilitate brand access to consumers where the consumers are; thus the value in the content, services or information provided here is in the user experience. Booking flights on Delta’s Facebook page and Clarins UK’s dedicated competition tab are both good examples. Facebook is but one spoke.