The Song airline experience
Just returned from NYC on a flight from Song, the ill-fated Delta airlines experiment. Without much explanation Delta recently announced Song would be dismantled and its flights would become Delta air routes.
What follows is an experience designer’s critique of flying with Song.
- Personality as experience. From the moment I sat in the waiting area for my outbound flight, I noticed a difference. The brand colors were not a combination of blue, red and white (colors used by almost every major airline) but an off-green. The waiting area displays had sarcastic jokes in them. And the overhead announcements were entertaining and made me want to smile at the staff ( a rare feeling for frequent travelers). This was reflected on the plane: the safety announcements were sung, not spoken, and the song changed every day. A personality for the ariline was chosen and manifested it in the design of everything, and in the choice and rewards for all staff (Begging the question: if your software/website was a person, who would it be? Who would you want it to be? How will you get it closer?)
- Love vs. Annoyance . The risk of having a strong personality (or an experience) is that it’s subjective. In order to make something person A loves, you will always make something person B hates. Most brands chicken out and pick things that A and B accept, but don’t love. Assuming your target market has more of A than B, you’re ok. With Song, at first I thought I was a B. When onboard I was miffed at first by the relentlessly happy, cool vibe present in the onboard staff and all the materials (the safety warnings are done in song, and acted out by the air crew). But over the course of the flight, and the return trip I enjoyed it. I was being served by likeable real people, not robots. It was one of the most enjoyable flights I’ve had.
- Television is the flight opiate. I’m a reader. I bring 3 books when I fly. The TV screen on the back of the seat in front of me was an immediate annoyance and I turned it off. But when I caught my neighbors screen with the ESPN Classic channel on, my eyes lit up. I spent most of the flight watching classic football games and the discovery channel (one of 20 available). Never has a flight flown by so fast. A movie of my choice was available via credit card swipe for $5. The in-flight menu had above average food at reasonable (for airports) prices.
- The business confusion over style vs. experience. It’s not clear why Song was pulled: I haven’t found much analysis online other than reports of low ticket sales (but why?). Given the drops in experience quality across all airlines, and how unpleasant air travel can be for many, a service focused alternative (even at a price) seems a business opportunty. I fear that whatever the failures/mistakes were, good experience design will be lumped into the pile, and it will be some time before Delta, or anyone else invests in this way again.
- Growing brands vs. making them. One guess about why Song is being pulled is their approach to brand. Good brands take time to develop: you can’t always buy your way – you have to earn it. Given the backing of Delta they might have taken on the new brand with the goals of a billion dollar big player in mind, which can lead to marketing distractions (such as a Song store in NYC) over things with direct impact on the bottom line. There was real value in what they offered, but the emhpasis on style and presentation (The Song name, non-traditional colors, general sassyness) over substance (pleasant flights, decent food, high quality service) may have confused potential customers on what Song’s advantages really were.
References:
- Press release about the end of Song airlines.
- Old interview w/ Tim Maples, Song marketing director.
- Brand autopsy’s short critique of Song.
Which airline has the best overall experience? Why? (and if anyone finds other critiques or business commentary on Song, please comment).