Driving the Brand

The recent appearances of the CEOs of the “Big Three” automakers before Congress offer fascinating lessons in public relations and brand image. Major news outlets seized on the fact that the CEOs hopped on their private jets to travel to Capitol Hill for the first hearing. How could the companies’ leaders expect a bailout, the argument went, when they were being so extravagant themselves?

The CEOs left the hearings empty-handed.

It was reported that one of the CEOs commented on the private jet brouhaha, stating he didn’t want to fly commercial in case the plane was delayed. He didn’t want to arrive late for the hearing and risk upsetting the nation’s lawmakers. After all, he said, how would that look?

The CEOs (or at least their PR people) realized the error of their ways and made sure travel to the second set of hearings was much less frivolous. (“We’ll drive our own cars! Brilliant!”) But being so out of touch with the customer says a great deal about the type of decision-making that landed them in such a dire predicament in the first place.

While empty gestures and publicity stunts are anathema to true PR professionals, demonstrating a clear understanding of – and belief in – one’s brand means carrying it throughout all aspects of the company. It should be second nature, not something to be conjured only when public opinion turns sour.

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