British Airways--dealing with a three-day walkout by its unions that has its customers worried about flights being cancelled--is turning to YouTube to help get its message out that the airline is flying as usual, especially with the specter of a four-day walkout set to begin March 27.
BA has produced and uploaded several videos to its YouTube channel featuring CEO Willie Walsh talking about "business as usual" at Gatwick and Heathrow.
The move is an indication of just how commonplace online video--and YouTube in particular--has become in the corporate world. Increasingly, companies are turning to online video to get focused messages out to consumers who appear to be growing ever-more accepting of the medium. And, YouTube's role in the process continues to expand, despite the worry that its profitability is Quixotic at best.
British Airways isn't alone in turning to YouTube to get its message out along unconventional paths. Toyota--battling to salvage its reputation after a series of sudden-acceleration events with its vehicles put the company in the public-opinion bulls-eye--launched its own PR blitz on its YouTube channel last month.
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