by Ben Knapp at 6:01 am 29 July 2009
Filed under: Home Page
What if 
designed a petrol station? Or 
? What would they bring to the table that the big petrol brands can’t seem to grasp?
by Wally Olins at 6:00 am 29 July 2009
Filed under: Architecture, Branding, Identity
Petrol station forecourts are a throwback to the 1960s – or earlier. They are dirty, the lavatories are frequently filthy, the pump technology is forty or more years old; all that dribbling and no electronics. Now, as large parts of Europe are en route to summer holiday destinations, they’re especially nasty.
What a missed opportunity.
Even though some of the major fuel retailers have undergone re-branding exercises over the past decade, they seem to have forgotten that they have customers who take notice of these things. Think of what grocery shopping was like forty years ago and compare it to today. Why haven’t petrol stations moved on? Why can’t they be as pleasing as a drive-in bank or cinema? Surely cleanliness, well thought through amenities and convenience should by now be taken for granted. But they’re not.
What a huge opportunity!
What if Starbucks designed a petrol station? Or The Four Seasons? What would they bring to the table that the likes of Shell and ExxonMobile can’t seem to grasp? It’s time for a major change. We won’t, perhaps, see Isadore Sharp get involved with forecourts. But we will see brands emerge which realise that the forecourt is the place for differentiation. Our friends at Rompetrol have made a good first step with Litro. Who’s next?
by Ben Knapp at 10:37 am 24 July 2009
Filed under: Home Page
is the only budget airline that can actually differentiate on price – unpleasant though they may be. All others will need to think long and hard about how to stand out.
by Ben Knapp at 10:34 am 24 July 2009
Filed under: Branding, Identity
Chip and Dan Heath once wrote that “airlines only have a passing acquaintance with profitability”. This has never been truer than today, with the unlikely exception of some low cost carriers. Ryanair, the infamous Irish carrier, is widely reputed to be the world’s most profitable airline.
But much time has passed since Ryanair and Southwest Airlines pioneered the low cost airline idea. Today, being cheap is no longer enough to stand out amongst the large crowd of budget carriers. Whilst Ryanair becomes ever nastier to its customers in the name of cost reduction (and thereby paradoxically strengthens its brand), other more sophisticated carriers have chosen to take the ‘high road’.
When Saffron created the Vueling brand, low price was a part of the offering. But what made Vueling truly different, and perhaps contributed so much to their success, was ‘espiritu Vueling’ – doing things the Vueling way. That means low cost, high style. Bringing your own sandwich and saving €100. Having young planes and pilots with grey hair. And making everything as easy as 1-2-3. The result was that when it was acquired by Iberia, the Vueling brand replaced Iberia’s own low cost offering.
David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue, says “We don’t compete in the airline industry. We compete in the hospitality industry.” Like Vueling, JetBlue holds itself to higher standards and has an idea of itself that’s manifested throughout all of its touch points; from their website to cabin interiors to flight crews.
Airlines don’t just sell the wonder of sitting in a chair in the sky, they sell an experience. The carriers that understand this best will be the ones that come out on top. As for Ryanair, they’ll soon be inviting you to stand on your flight to Barcelona and thereby staying true to their low cost brand. But they’re the only ones that can actually differentiate on price – because they got there first. All others will need to think long and hard on how to stand out.
by Ben Knapp at 5:29 pm 23 July 2009
Filed under: Home Page
Ian Stephens has published an article on branding renewable energy in Sun Wind Energy magazine.