Dear Mx. BAV,

Our brand is suffering from a reputation crisis. Our name used to be synonymous with quality in the travel industry. Now, a popular booking website allows users to filter out our products. We've lost our reputation for quality, trust, and performance. We know we've made some serious mistakes, but we want to make it right and find a way to get back to our roots of quality and performance that you can trust, especially among younger generations.

Any advice for us?

Sincerely,
Rhymes with Snowing

...

Dear Rhymes with Snowing,

You're right, your reputation has taken a nosedive. Without revealing your identity, we checked the data and Gen Z ranks you in the 15th percentile for trust and 35th for quality out of 3,500+ brands on the BAV survey. Not great, considering your history of top-notch engineering and safety. To win back Gen Z, you need to shore up your quality control challenges. I would also consider sharing real-world impact—whether through sustainability efforts, humanitarian initiatives, or empowering young innovators—you can position yourselves as a forward-thinking, human-centered brand. Gen Z responds to real, relatable content over polished messaging, so meeting them on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram will help you remain relevant while building trust and emotional connection. You can't erase the past, but you can build a future where young people feel safe traveling with you.

Building brand love and trust is complex and not an easy fix; it's a long-haul process.
It won't be easy, good luck!

Mx. BAV

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Author: Daniella Rodriguez
Manager, Strategy & Insights

Daniella  joined BAV Group in 2020, working to help clients leverage BAV Group's services. Prior to joining BAV group Daniella had worked in content strategy and consumer insights for the television and film industry. Daniella has a strong ambition to leverage data creatively so to develop innovative storytelling that enhances brand strategy. She recently graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A in Sociology specializing in psycho-sociology. For her thesis she conducted research on the role and effects of gender in pharmaceutical marketing. Daniella is fluent in Spanish and amateur oil painter.

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Opinion Party (Vol 4): Naughty or Nice
This article is from the fourth volume of "Opinion Party" from BAV Group, a collection of points-of-view  focused on exploring what it means to be a naughty or nice brand, and what brands land on which list this year.