COMMENT
Compiled at JFK Airport whilst waiting for BA 178 to fly me home via London Heathrow. Dispatched to silicon.com via a free LAN connection in the BA lounge.
I just boarded an early morning shuttle bus from my hotel at JFK airport. Barely awake, I heard the driver call for airlines and terminals. Someone piped up "United" and the immediate rejoinder from the rest of the passengers was a chorus of the song "United Breaks Guitars".
What was this about?
In case you haven't heard, musician Dave Carroll says his $3,500 Taylor guitar was recently damaged by United Airlines baggage handlers. They supposedly refused to accept any responsibility and to compensate him, so he wrote a song and filmed a video about the experience - which he posted on YouTube. It's since been viewed more than five million times.
The full, sorry story of Dave Carroll's prized guitar and his attempt to get reconciliation can be read on his website.
It seems Carroll was more than just ticked off because he has just released a second video devoted to Miss Irlwig, the last United employee to rebuff him. It's as humorous as the first.
Carroll is now promising a third video to make a trilogy of the whole encounter. During the whole process Carroll managed to get substantial press and even national TV coverage.
I suspect it has done his music career no harm whatsoever, too.
This has to be the most galvanised and effective demonstration of a 'market of one' ever. It is also an exemplar of the influence of the individual over a powerful international company, especially in the online world where anyone can communicate with millions of others so easily.
I suspect it will be widely reported on, studied and included in the curriculum of all the major business schools very shortly.
I just love human creativity at all levels, and this just started my day with a smile and a song!
Comments
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1. David Gaskill
I think you over estimate the significance of Mr. Carroll's brilliantly conceived and executed You Tube video.
Mr. Carroll has the technical ability to produce a video together with the wit and most importantly the musical talent to write lyrics and a really addictive melody. If some incompetent organisation damaged your laptop a or mine neither of us could emulate Mr. Carroll's brilliant revenge.
If it does make it on to a business school curriculum it will not be because of Mr. Carroll's wit and musical talent but as an example of how a large organisation allowed itself to be humiliated and suffer significant financial loss at the hands of a disgruntled customer.
Of course after "United breaks guitars" became a You Tube hit the last thing United should have done was to enter into grudging negotiations on compensation. They should have produced their own grovelling but humourous You Tube response. They don't have Mr. Carroll's musical talent they do have a lot more money than he has so they could have hired an organisation to produce an appropriate video.
Mr. Carroll's ability to capitalise on the success of "United breaks guitars" seem to indicate that, as well as musical talent, he has more business sense than United's PR Dept.
David
2. Peter Cochrane
David = I just thought it a lot of fun! A component of everyday life that often seems lacking! Peter