45 Year Old Cessna

A lesson in brand strategy from a 45-year-old light aircraft.

Ever flown in a small aircraft? Chances are it was a Cessna - the workhorse of aviation that's trained more pilots than any other manufacturer. In fact, they've built more Cessna 172s than Boeing 737s (and we've all flown in one of those).

33 years after my first flying lesson in a Cessna, I found myself back in the cockpit of one built in 1979. It is still airworthy, doing precisely what it was designed to do and still loved by those whisked into the air for their first flying lesson. But this isn't just a story about my history with aircraft.

A Life-Long Fascination with Brands That Endure

My other enduring passion has been what makes companies stand out and stand the test of time. From watching Fuji Film & Coca-Cola float over my schoolyard emblazoned on the side of a blimp to witnessing Richard Branson's audacious Virgin Atlantic-branded balloon flight across the Atlantic Ocean, I've been captivated by how brands make their mark since my teenage years. My advertising career began in an era when "brand fame" and “we want a Branson-style stunt” were the aspirations of many and a common addition to the agency brief.

What's fascinating is that those iconic brands—Fuji, Coca-Cola, Virgin—have maintained virtually unchanged identities, just like my 45-year-old flying companion today. They've endured because they work—perfectly, consistently, and reliably.

Identity: When to Hold, Not Fold

Yet I watch countless organisations discard, mutilate, or replace their perfectly good identities on a whim. The result? Disrupting memory structures and confusing consumers while expending large sums of cash on something that, more often than not, is working just fine.

Too often, identity changes are prescribed as miracle cures for deeper business challenges: eroding market share, declining consumer trust, ineffective messaging, or competitive pressure. Sadly, sometimes, it is a vanity issue driven by change for the sake of change. It's like repainting an aircraft when it just needs a little more oil.

Brand Strategy That Stands the Test of Time

The winning strategy? Consistency in identity, coupled with a value proposition that speaks directly to the needs of the smallest viable audience in your largest addressable market. That Cessna certainly doesn’t have the new car smell, but it is still highly effective in its role. While creating shiny and new is always exciting, sometimes sweating the assets we have is the smarter strategy.