Qantas and Its Appalling Brand Management
Much is written and discussed about Qantas'woes.Poor choice of aircraft:Disengaged employees;offshoring;the cannibalising of mainline by Jetstar;shrinking network...the list goes on.
It becomes evident that there are two Qantas:One pre float and one post float.
Prior to float the brand was managed with kid gloves.It was innovative.Always ahead of the curve and always generated profit which ended up in the government coffers.The board was populated by governemnt appointees who left management to its own devices.Keith Hamilton,John Ward and John Menadue were superb as CEOs ,well respected by employees.
Qantas was a package that worked well.
Post float the brains of Qantas were deposed by Strong.He bought in his coterie from TAA/Australian.Enter Geoff Dixon,Strong's mate.An ex journo who worked for Ansett and migrated to TAA.A man in the twilight of his life and career.An unremarkable individual.A man without a skillset to run an international airline
The trashing of the brand began.The provoking of the workforce started.Employees became the enemy.
Australians dont generally manage brands well.Brands need to be re invented around every seven years.This requires a capital spend.The brand needs to be freshened up.
Qantas hasnt been freshened up for a decade or more.Several attempts were made but never really gained traction.The Qantas brand is very 20th Century.
We have had a changing of the guard.Dixon is gone and so is Jackson.Most of the senior executive have also departed.Lesley Grant is a noted survivor.She has achieved little.
So why has the 'script" (Sunfish's insight) remained the same? .Who is maintaining this script of provocation,divide and conquer,witholding of capital and brand neglect.
Why would anyone destroy such an iconic Australian brand?.
The governemnt must be involved at some level.They sit back and let it happen.If Qantas fails will it be bailed out?Will the government bail it out?.
Is there an agenda or is it just plain bloody stupidity.
No one has really come up with the definitive answer.I'll be damned if I can provide one.
The whole scenario makes no sense at all
Last edited by captainrats; 27th Apr 2011 at 05:10.