If you lose your job, we’ll refund your airfare. That’s the promise JetBlue is giving its flyers, explaining that “while we can’t predict the future, we can take some of the uncertainty out of it and give you confidence to book with JetBlue.” Earlier this year, Hyundai Motor America launched a similar program (“Lose your income, return your car”), which may be one reason the automaker saw January sales in the U.S. increase 14 percent. Projecting confidence while at the same time instilling confidence in consumers during these anxious times makes good business sense.
JWT’s most recent campaign for JetBlue empathizes with everyone, including bigwigs who previously flew privately. “We understand it’s not easy being a high flyer these days,” says a special section of JetBlue’s Web site. “The CFO is picking apart your expense reports. Congress is mad about your bonus. And you can’t even hop on a private jet to the Cayman Islands without freaking out the shareholders.”
Wonder how many others will do this? Hyundai has already offered similar insurance programs in the US.
It’s a brilliant idea!
It’s a shame that relatively few brands are embracing this kind of “real yet positive” approach to the recession. My personal belief is that consumers do appreciate honesty from brands, and that the times we live in today make honesty even more valuable.