Ryanair – an example of risky online PR or typical Michael O’Leary strategy?
October 13, 2009 by Amy Johnston
Ryanair has dominated the media this week following an investigation by BBC1’s Panorama. Panorama had been in contact with the Ryanair press office regarding the production of their latest expose on the airline, “Why hate Ryanair”. The questions being asked were typical for a TV researcher, however they were quite difficult when it came to allowing Michael O’Leary to pre-record an unedited video response.
The debate about whether the programme makers were being deliberately difficult, or rather it was a case of Ryanair trying to avoid the “hatchetjob” as they put it, could go on for ever… I suppose it depends which camp you sit in and how much O’Leary has previously pushed your buttons!
Ryanair reacted by boldly publishing all of the email correspondence on the website the day the show was to air, allowing everyone to see the communication and make their own mind up. This is a risky PR strategy and really pushes the power of transparency online. But was it a clever PR trick or simply Ryanair sticking two fingers up at the BBC?
Following the show being aired last night (Monday 12th October), Ryanair has announced 1.1 million free seats to a variety of destinations throughout November and December. O’Leary said this was to “celebrate the total failure of BBC Panorama’s hatchet job -100,000 for each of the 11 above lies or false claims made by Panorama last night.”
Strong words and a strong message. I can’t help thinking O’Leary had this planned for a long time. The way the emails to Panorama are so carefully crafted suggests someone knew they may be published, plus, to be able to release so many free seats must have been scheduled into the strategy somewhere. On closer inspection it looks like many of the seats are far from free when you add on taxes and baggage (ironically the point Panorama were originally making.) It will be interesting to see if the BBC responds.
I still think my love of cheap city breaks overcomes my feelings for O’Leary, so can’t say I’ll be boycotting Ryanair anytime soon. However, I do think this is an interesting case study in aggressive online PR.. or simply taking the bull by the horns.
Re your suggestion that someone may have known the comments may be published,,,,actually O’Leary tells Panorama this much in his email of 1 October – (page 13 of 25!)
The 11th ‘lie’ and its response made me laugh!
‘Panorama claimed that “O’Leary is a bully” – this is clearly false when the whole world knows that O’Leary is a kind and gentle, caring and thoughtful, sensitive and saintly human being widely beloved by all Ryanair’s 6,500 people and its 66m passengers.’
He is a complete wind up merchant who loves to play games with the media – but with Ryanair’s low pricing strategy, consumers don’t seem to mind what O’Leary says or for that matter what Ryanair does (allegedly).
He never misses a trick to get in the news and is certainly from the ‘all publicity is good publicity’ school of thought.