(Written in 2008)
FedEx customers have known for a long time that “If it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight,” the company once known as Federal Express will get it there -- will deliver on their promise. FedEx people have been legendary for living out their company’s marketable truth. Because their promise and the realization of that promise were in synch, FedEx’s customers were at one time willing to pay a price premium for “guaranteed on-time delivery.”
Today’s FedEx is going global and beginning to talk more about access than delivery. As the company moves into the future, however, you can be sure of one thing: FedEx will never make a promise they don’t intend to keep, no matter where in the world they make it.
That’s authentic.
Even so, FedEx doesn’t seem to have yet articulated a meaningful and compelling way to express their company’s fresh vision while remaining true to their roots. Their present tagline, “Relax. It’s FedEx,” no doubt has survived the focus group gauntlet, but in the opinion of this writer, it snores. It’s hard to beat a variant of their long-time positioning tagline, however, because the words remain powerful and true:
“Absolutely, Positively ...”
TakeAway: Why change if it’s still working?
FedEx customers have known for a long time that “If it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight,” the company once known as Federal Express will get it there -- will deliver on their promise. FedEx people have been legendary for living out their company’s marketable truth. Because their promise and the realization of that promise were in synch, FedEx’s customers were at one time willing to pay a price premium for “guaranteed on-time delivery.”
Today’s FedEx is going global and beginning to talk more about access than delivery. As the company moves into the future, however, you can be sure of one thing: FedEx will never make a promise they don’t intend to keep, no matter where in the world they make it.
That’s authentic.
Even so, FedEx doesn’t seem to have yet articulated a meaningful and compelling way to express their company’s fresh vision while remaining true to their roots. Their present tagline, “Relax. It’s FedEx,” no doubt has survived the focus group gauntlet, but in the opinion of this writer, it snores. It’s hard to beat a variant of their long-time positioning tagline, however, because the words remain powerful and true:
“Absolutely, Positively ...”
TakeAway: Why change if it’s still working?
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