54 THE WHITE KNIGHT
AND THE CHOC ICE

When Sir Richard Branson decided in 1984 to use the money he had received for the sale of Virgin Records to launch a lower-cost transatlantic airline, many commentators were surprised. It had been only two years since Sir Freddie Laker’s Skytrain outfit had gone out of business.

At launch, however, it quickly became apparent that, even if he hadn’t done any formal market research, Branson’s own experiences had provided him with real insights into the needs of other flyers.

Sir Richard put himself in the position of consumer champion, becoming their white knight and offering something that he believed they wanted but weren’t getting from existing airlines.

When Virgin Atlantic started flying, one of the most obvious differences in their planes was that there weren’t just a few large screens in each cabin compartment; there was a screen on the back of every seat. Sir Richard explained that he had always hated the fact that travellers were offered a movie on their flight but could rarely see what was being shown. Movies on planes were generally a disagreeable event as people went up and down to stretch their legs or go to the toilet.

Screens on the back of each seat meant that everyone had a personal screen. Not only did this mean that passengers could watch the movie, but Virgin also included a video games package in case they would prefer to play games.

To cap it all, halfway through the movie the cabin crew came round with choc ices. Well, if you go to the movies you want an ice-cream, don’t you?

And the moral is that it pays to put yourself in your customers’ shoes. When did you last “mystery shop” your own brand?