Boeing and B2B - trust, risk and reputation

The charred remains of a Dreamliner lithium ion battery

As the new Dreamliner aeroplane is grounded around the world, Boeing face the task of rebuilding the brand's reputation amongst airlines and passengers, assuring both that the Dreamliner (Boeing 787) is a safe and viable alternative to well established Airbus A350.

After problems with burnt out lithium batteries during routine flights, airlines around the world began to ground their Dreamliner fleets, until the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration took the decision to ground ALL Dreamliners around the globe. The Dreamliner is the world's most fuel efficient airliner - a mid-size aeroplane carrying 210-290 passengers and designed to compete with Airbus A350.

Boeing convinced 57 B2B customers that they could trust the brand to deliver a safe and efficient flying experience that kept passengers, regulators and the their accounts departments happy. However that trust is on the line as airlines replace burnt out batteries, face public scrutiny and lose sections of their fleet for perhaps weeks - with ongoing scepticism of the plane by future passengers who may fear flying in them. A great example to support the B2B lecture on this module - and to watch for how Boeing handle this crisis. Would you risk millions on a Dreamliner? What do Boeing need to do claw back the trust these batteries have burnt out?

2011 Edelman Trust Barometer

The 2011 Edelman Trust Barometer is out this week. The Barometer, from PR agency Edelman, is a PR exercise in their own right as thought leaders in PR. It shows that trust in CEOs is on the up for the second year in a row - an important issue for corporate PR as CEOs are key spokespeople for their companies. Meanwhile, trust in 'a person like me' dropped 3 places: the idea that we want friends to recommend brands etc underpins much of the use of social marketing in PR. Check their website out to also see how worldwide trust in th US (and therefore US brands and companies) is dropping and other useful insights. See PR Week's views for more information...