4: The Branson factor
The greatest advert for Virgin is probably Richard Branson. Virgin’s brand values emanate from him. In many ways, Branson is the consumers hero, an entrepreneur operating in a style all of his own. In addition to his status as one of Britain’s most respected businessmen, Richard Branson’s daredevil antics, such as ballooning across the Atlantic, have guaranteed the Virgin brand its fair share of publicity.
It is difficult to identify how brand values relate to such widespread appeal. Many feel that it is because he is a genuine article and not a slick product of a media charm school. For Virgin Atlantic, the PR created through Branson has been an important part of the widespread success of the brand and the values with which consumers can associate. The role of the airline itself has been that of matching the reality of the product with the values created by the image.
5: The product
In developing a distinct and memorable brand, it was important that the features and benefits provided by the products reflected the core values of the brand. In other words the brand values had to symbolize a level of quality which Virgin would build into the product itself. For example, Virgin’s revolutionary Upper Class changed the face of business travel. Virgin Atlantic was also the first airline to supply a chauffeur driven car to collect passengers at their point of origin and transfer them to their final destination, both on their outward journey and return.
Passengers departing Heathrow who use this service can now utilize the innovative Drive Thru Check In, located adjacent to Terminal 3. The chauffeur communicates with the check in agents during the journey