Skift CMO Interviews: Ryanair CMO on Becoming Friendly and Mastering Mobile
Skift Take
Kenny Jacob's vision of the Ryanair friendly/edgy hybrid is walking a fine line on brand, but he seems to have a very grounded perspective of how to manage it. When we think of Ryanair, "uninteresting" is not an adjective that comes to mind.
Editor's Note: Following our previous CEO interview series in online travel, hospitality, and destinations, Skift has launched a new series, this time focused on Chief Marketing Officers.
To better understand the big marketing challenges facing travel brands in an age when consumers are in control, Skift's What Keeps CMOs Up at Night will talk with the leading voices in global marketing from across all the industry's sectors.
These interviews with leaders of hotels, airlines, tourism boards, digital players, agents, tour operators and more will explore both shared and unique challenges they are facing, where they get insights, and how they best leverage digital insights to make smarter decisions.
This is the latest interview in the series.
Few airlines have developed a brand definition as sharp-edged as Ryanair has over its 30 year history. The bad-boy of the European low-cost sector has become nicer, but it hasn’t lost its north.
Ryanair’s CMO, Kenny Jacobs, explains the effectiveness of the airline’s ongoing five-year Always Getting Better campaign. He shares his thoughts on brand positioning, digital, social, and consumer trends. He explains how Ryanair refines its image without losing its low-cost mojo.
Skift: Are you happy with the effects of Always Getting Better on the Ryanair brand?
Kenny Jacobs: I’m very happy with the progress that we've made. I'm very happy with the difference it has made in load factors and in demand, and in the softer measures of what people think of Ryanair. We've made real change and we've made it quickly where it matters: in the customer experience.
The proof of that is the load factor. Three years ago, our average load factor was just over 80% and this year it will be just over 92%.
I don't think it was that hard. I think we were pushing an open door on a lot of things: letting people pick their own seat and bring two bags onboard, having a better website and a better mobile app.
This isn't marketing genius. This is just doing the basics, doing them quickly, and doing them well.
But I think we've moved very quickly with a CEO who wants to change, a Board Room who want the business to change, bring in better customers, and innovate.
I think we've done a better job, but the work isn't complete. That's why we're about to launch year three of Always Getting Better.
For me, entering year three of Always Getting Better, it's really interesting to compare it to the list o
