Song Airlines has taken a final bow and, well, we told you so. Two years ago we were so appalled at the naming and branding of Delta’s new venture that we wrote this post predicting its demise.
Everything about Song’s brand package hit a sour note. The bizarre Song logo prophetically portrayed something spiraling into the ground. It’s true.
Apparently, the name “Song” was meant to help convey some sort of JetBlue / Virgin hybrid, and the crew’s Kate Spade designed cabinwear was aimed at melding Branson’s rock and roll sensibilities, a touch of SoHo and, somehow, cheap fares.
Who did Delta hire when they decided to try and create a “cool” brand? Landor. Yes, it was like paying Dick Cheney to teach you the Macarena so that “chicks would dig you”.
Sorry for the visual.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Spike Jones // Oct 31, 2005 at 3:07 pm
I agree on many a front that (B)Landor did a poor naming and identity job. And trying to out-JetBlue JetBlue or out-Virgin Virgin is never a good strategy either.
I merely wish to point out that a great name helps, but the success or demise of a brand doesn’t solely depend the name. It depends on a whole lot more than that. A great name is a good launching pad for a great identity.
2 corporate branding // Oct 31, 2005 at 3:08 pm
You guys are cracking me up! I’ve written a few articles on JetBlue and yes, Delta really messed this one up. It’s like they just wing it.
3 mike // Dec 14, 2005 at 3:38 pm
airliners are buses with wings. “snog” tried tattooing itself as what? no…, really, what kind of sow’s ear to silk purse voodoo where they hoping to pull off? bullshit detector’s meter pegged when watching the focus group, guerilla marketing efforts, etc. what a waste of hard-earned cash, the stockholder’s should be lining up to sue the b.o.d. i’ve got an idea, landor (linked above) mentions how air passengers resent being treated like cattle. stop. whoa, eureka! note to management: a. - people ain’t cattle. b. - try treating clientele like your own f-ing job depended on it. if so (won’t happen), folks wouldn’t mind travel when it flattens instead of broadens. c. - fly coach incognito once in a blue moon (you won’t). d. - pay your employees what you’ll save on the bullshit advertising. e. - fire the slugs & cultivate the flutterbies, bungholes.
4 dude // Feb 17, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I had no idea it was a Delta thing. I always thought it was some Chinese airline.
Leave a Comment