British Airways Branding Strategy: Evaluating Current Effectiveness

This report critically evaluates the effectiveness of British Airways' current branding strategy on its organizational performance, addressing challenges in attracting international customers amidst high market competition. It identifies issues such as human error, technological failures, and delayed customer service responses that have negatively impacted the airline's brand image. The report aims to understand factors affecting the implementation of effective branding strategies and provides recommendations for innovative approaches, including leveraging social media, improving service quality, and enhancing customer communication. The study uses a literature review and research questions to assess the current strategies and propose improvements to maintain and enhance British Airways' brand reputation in the competitive airline industry. This document is contributed by a student and is available on Desklib.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Research Proposal
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
1. Aim:.............................................................................................................................................2
2. Objectives:...................................................................................................................................3
3. Rationale:.....................................................................................................................................4
4. Literature review:.........................................................................................................................6
5. Methodology:...............................................................................................................................9
Reference List:...............................................................................................................................13

2RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Topic: Effectiveness of Current branding strategy on British Airways
1. Aim:
The primary aim of this very specific study is to evaluate the effectiveness of current
brand strategy on organisational performances of British Airways. A problem has been identified
that British Airways is facing difficulties in drawing the attention of international customers due
to high competitive threats in market (Ashley and Tuten 2015). The business experts have
therefore decided to improve their marketing strategies so that customers belonging to global
geographical backgrounds and attitudes can be attracted towards services (Ottman 2017). It is a
form of marketing strategy, which helps the business experts in grabbing the attention of
customers from various geographical boundaries (Armstrong et al. 2015).
After evaluating data of last five years, it has been observed that British Airways is
receiving immense threats in maintaining their organisational glory and reputation due to the
lack of effective branding strategy (britishairways.com 2018). This particular brand was facing
immense difficulties in maintaining their organisational glory due to lots of human error. This
study has provided in-depth overview on how British Airways has faced immense human error in
providing services to the customers, which ultimately affected business profitability. From
technological error to the lack of food delivery the entire service process has become immensely
defective and unsystematic which ultimately losses the trust level of customers. In this kind of
situation, numerous eminent researchers have raised this concern and identified this topic for
making an in-depth research (Davcik and Sharma 2015). In quest of creating a new brand image,
the business experts are focusing on creating an attractive logo so that the people can easily draw
their attention towards organisations like British Airways.

3RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Apart from logo, British Airways has rendered several changes in their overall branding
strategy (britishairways.com 2018). It has been observed that British Airways has implemented
new interior within their flight accommodation. The service providers are more efficient and
professional flexible with different language competency (Leekha Chhabra and Sharma 2014).
Multilingual flexibility is very much effective in grabbing the attention of those people who
belong to various cultural backgrounds and attitudes (Hoppen, Brown and Fyall 2014). It is very
beneficial for the customers to get an interpreter in the airport, which enables the customers in
making their journey comfortable.
2. Objectives:
As quoted by Jay Baer, “Branding is the art of aligning what you want people to think
about your company with what people actually do think about your company”.
On other word, branding is the process of creating a unique feature or name of a
particular brand by which customers can easily recognise.
Leo Burnett stated in this occasion “A brand symbol as “anything that leaves a mental
picture of the brand’s identity”.
However, as commented by Margie Clayman, “Branding is the encapsulation of a
company’s mission statement, objectives, and corporate soul as expressed through the corporate
voice and aesthetic”.
Before identifying the primary objectives of this research, a critical evaluation is
conducted based on the identified research issue. In quest of creating a new brand image, the
business experts are focusing on creating an attractive logo so that the people can easily draw

4RESEARCH PROPOSAL
their attention towards organisations like British Airways. The study has evaluated that the
primary target of business experts is creating brand identity and maintaining brand images
(Wallace et al. 2014). Providing superior quality of services to the customers is one of the most
significant reasons on how the brands can maintain their own image in the market. In addition,
British Airways has decided to use social media as their promotional platform with the help of
which people belonging to various geographical backgrounds and attitudes can get in-depth
knowledge and experience about the services and quality of products (Jabbar 2016). The study
has also stated that in order to promote the brand throughout long haul market the business
experts have to invest large amount of money, which may become a serious business issue in
creating brand image and identity (Pappas 2016). British Airways is receiving immense threats
in maintaining their organisational glory and reputation due to the lack of effective branding
strategy. Moreover, the most important reasons of maintaining their branding image is delayed
reply. As a result, the entire process of booking tickets becomes pending which reflects negative
impact on the customers (Llodrà-Riera et al. 2015). The people having poor literate backgrounds
can easily avail those services. In addition, the business experts have decided to give an armrest
division for making the journey more comfortable. British Airways has rendered a new and
attractive interior look for drawing the attention of international customers.
The primary objectives of this specific study are as follows:
 To evaluate the effectiveness of current brand strategy on organisational performances of
British Airways
 To critically understand the factors that affect in making effective branding strategies
implemented by British Airways

5RESEARCH PROPOSAL
 To provide major recommendations for making innovative branding strategies for British
Airways
3. Rationale:
Based on the research objectives the study has formed appropriate research questions as
well which are as follows:
 What is the effectiveness of current brand strategy on organisational performances of British
Airways?
 What are the factors that affect in making effective branding strategies implemented by
British Airways?
 What should be the major recommendations of making innovative branding strategies for
British Airways?
Issue has been identified that British Airways is facing challenges in maintaining their
organisational glory after receiving immense competitive threats in business. The study has
evaluated that British Airways needs to render innovative branding strategies so that people
belonging to other geographical backgrounds and attitudes can get attracted in using the products
and services (Todor 2014). After making an in-depth research, issue has been identified that the
customers are showing their negative approach in using the services of British Airways due to
several reasons. Employees are providing delayed services, which is one of the most significant
reasons of customers’ dissatisfaction (Scammell 2015). In addition, due to repeated instrument
failure the customers have faced immense challenges in their entire journey of making
international travel (Ashley and Tuten 2015). However, it has been observed that the marketing
executives at that time did not make effective promotional strategies and policies to grab the

6RESEARCH PROPOSAL
attention of customers. The employees associated with the organisation intended to provide
delayed reply to the customers (Zavattaro 2014). In addition, the customers are not very getting
effective feedback in resolving their necessary queries. In this situation, the business brand and
reputation is getting immensely affected.
After identifying this research issue, some of the eminent personalities have showed their
major concern regarding this research topic (Leekha Chhabra and Sharma 2014). They have
evaluated that British Airways needs to implement innovative branding strategies within their
business operation so that people belonging to various geographical backgrounds and attitudes
can get attracted towards overall services (Lipiäinen and Karjaluoto 2015). British Airways is
one of the most reputed organisations belonging to Airline industry, which provides international
services in the long haul market. Due to extreme level of competitive threats, the business
experts have to face immense challenges in maintaining overall business reputation (Ponnam and
Balaji 2015). In quest of making an in-depth critical evaluation about the innovative strategies
and policies implemented by British Airways, the study has chosen this specific research issue.
4. Literature review:
This very specific study has focused to make critical overview about the importance of
effective branding strategy in enhancing the effective performance level of organisation
especially in aviation industry. Numerous eminent scholars have stated their own opinion
regarding the current branding strategies that aviation industries are using for regaining their
business image and reputation. Punyatoya (2014) stated that the business experts of airline
industry have therefore decided to improve their marketing strategies so that customers
belonging to global geographical backgrounds and attitudes can be attracted towards services. In

7RESEARCH PROPOSAL
this kind of situation, numerous eminent researchers have raised this concern and identified this
topic for making an in-depth research. Sevin (2014) stated that in quest of creating a new brand
image, the business experts are focusing on creating an attractive logo so that the people can
easily draw their attention towards organisations like British Airways. Watkins and Lewis (2014)
opined that employees are providing delayed services, which is one of the most significant
reasons of customers’ dissatisfaction. In addition, due to repeated instrument failure the
customers have faced immense challenges in their entire journey of making international travel.
 Effectiveness of current branding strategies implemented by aviation industry
Choi et al. (2014) stated that in current business scenario the organisational experts have
introduced new branding strategies for creating own image and reputation of an organisation. In
quest of creating a new brand image, the business experts are focusing on creating an attractive
logo so that the people can easily draw their attention towards organisations like British Airways.
Building a good airline and providing the customers effective services is not the only one
mission of an airline. Jeuring (2016) opined that the primary target of business experts is creating
brand identity and maintaining brand images. Zavattaro (2014) opined that providing superior
quality of services to the customers is one of the most significant reasons on how the brands can
maintain their own image in the market. Oeppen and Jamal (2014) stated that branding is the
process of creating a unique feature or name of a particular brand by which customers can easily
recognise. It is a form of marketing strategy, which helps the business experts in grabbing the
attention of customers from various geographical boundaries.
In order to get heed from the global customers, the business experts of Aviation industry
have decided to implement effective promotional strategy. As opined by Lilleker (2015) British

8RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Airways has decided to use social media as their promotional platform with the help of which
people belonging to various geographical backgrounds and attitudes can get in-depth knowledge
and experience about the services and quality of products. Ko, Phau and Aiello (2016) stated that
Currently, the aviation industry has recruited those service providers who are well accustomed
with the multilingual competency. Dos Santos and Campo (2014) stated that in such a global
business industry, people might have language barrier. It is the responsibility of those service
providers to deliver services in such way that the customers do not have to get hesitated in
communicating with the customers.
 Factors that affect in making effective branding strategies implemented by British Airways
Wæraas, Bjørnå and Moldenæs (2015) stated that the primary factors that prevents highly
in implementing effective branding strategies within organisation imply economic strength. In
order to promote the brand throughout long haul market the business experts have to invest large
amount of money, which may become a serious business issue in creating brand image and
identity. In today’s business scenario, the implementation of advanced technology within
business is one of the most effective ways in influencing the customers’ purchasing behaviour.
However, it has been observed that most of the senior employees are not well accustomed in
operating advanced technology. Shams (2016) commented that after evaluating data of last five
years, it has been observed that British Airways is receiving immense threats in maintaining their
organisational glory and reputation due to the lack of effective branding strategy. Latiff and
Safiee (2015) opined that the most important reasons of maintaining their branding image is
delayed reply. Lievens and Slaughter (2016) opined that the customer service executives are not
very effective in providing feedback to the customers. In case of resolving any kind of issues
faced in online booking, the customers do not get enough response from the service providers.

9RESEARCH PROPOSAL
As a result, the entire process of booking tickets becomes pending which reflects negative impact
on the customers.
 Most effective and innovative branding strategies implemented by the organisation
In order to increase innovative branding strategies and policies the business experts need
to implement advanced technology within business. Punyatoya (2014) stated that the business
experts of aviation industry need to improve their promotional strategies so that customers can
find out a difference in their overall services. Latiff and Safiee (2015) stated that the marketing
executives can make an audio-visual clips where the entire service facilities and their policies
can be depicted. Bidin, Muhaimi and Bolong (2014) opined that the people having poor literate
backgrounds can easily avail those services. In addition, the business experts have decided to
give an armrest division for making the journey more comfortable. British Airways has rendered
a new and attractive interior look for drawing the attention of international customers. Keller,
Dekimpe and Geyskens (2016) opined that the entire service procedure is very much effective
and innovative for the customers based on which they can show their positive response in using
the services again.
Literature matrix:
Author Date Type of
Publication
Identified Theme
from Literature
Identified Theme from
Literature

10RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Dos
Santos, E.R.M.
and Campo,
M.L.R
2014 Article Concept of
destination branding
Branding
strategies for attaining
better customer service
Sevin,
H.E.
2014 Article City
branding and their
effect on the social
and sematic
networks
Impact of the
city branding on the
aviation market.
Zavattaro,
S.,
2014 Book Place
branding and effects
on the aviation
market
providing
superior quality of
services to the
customers is one of the
most significant reasons
on how the brands can
maintain their own
image in the market.
From this literature matrix. This has been pointed out that the image and place, city and concept
of destination branding are necessary for working of British Airlines. All of these literatures have
found out that importance of branding as well as marketing efforts for maintaining the image of
the company in the market is a necessity. As most of the global organizations like British
airways do not recognise importance of effective strategies for the brand innovation, fail to reach

11RESEARCH PROPOSAL
the success and desired market share. All of these papers are detailing one fact that branding is
important for the growth of market share and customer satisfaction in the case of aviation
industry.
5. Methodology:
Research design:
Research design is the systematic approach of conducting the enter research work with
the help of appropriate methodological tools. Positivism research philosophy is one of the most
significant ways of over viewing the entire flow of work with keen observation (Watkins and
Lewis 2014). Deductive approach is effective enough in collecting data based on existing
theories associated with the identified research issue. In addition, the research paper has also
evaluated the fact that descriptive research design will be used in this study with the help of
which the collected data and information will be explained as per gathered information without
having any proper manipulation (Šerić 2014).
Data collection technique:
Data collection technique is the systematic way of gathering information from various
valid and reliable data resources. Data collection technique is of two major categories, which
imply primary data collection technique and secondary data collection techniques (Alnıaçık et al.
2014). In primary source of data collection techniques, the researcher would get direct response
from the participants. As a result, the communication between the participants and researcher
becomes very much effective. In this very specific study, survey will be conducted by involving
100 customers of British Airways in order to know the current brand strategy is effective for
attracting the attention of customers or not.