Virgin Food Complaint Letter

[tony h]

Was sent this - food complaint about Virgin food (not sure where it should live)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelne...int-letter.html

quite funny but bit of an insult - they claim its the funniest passenger complaint letter. well - i'm pretty sure we could better than that...

[SBonner]

I had a laugh. I've only flown on Virgin once and the food was much better than described. The letter sound like an Air Canada or Air Transat meal

[emmalish]

He's since been invited to help select food for Virgin.

The London-based passenger has since received a call from Sir Richard inviting him to come to the airline’s catering house next month, to help select the food on future Virgin flights. The passenger has not yet confirmed whether he would take up the opportunity.

“While we investigated his complaint seriously, and following Richard Branson’s phone call we’ve invited him to our catering house to select the next range of meals and wines we serve on board,” said a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic. “Then we can ensure his personal taste is well and truly catered for.”

[prasantrin]

You'd think a "high-flying advertising executive" would be able to spell "desert" (sic) correctly. But perhaps he's an idea guy.

It did look like a horrible meal, though. Much like the stuff I ate on Emirates.

[the queneau]

It did look like a horrible meal, though.  Much like the stuff I ate on Emirates.

←

Yes, but all the above is predicated on the notion that this meal was actually served, that this customer actually exists, and that Branson actually invited him to help improve the food.

And that the whole exercise was in no way dreamt up by Virgin as way of drumming up some publicity.

But I'm sure the latter couldn't possibly be true.

[Jaymes]

You'd think a "high-flying advertising executive" would be able to spell "desert" (sic) correctly. 

Not to mention knowing the difference between "it's" and "its."

Ah well.

I guess the quality of the schools in the UK is as poor as in the US.

Small comfort.

[Tim Hayward]

The letter was written by a particularly talented creative called Oli Beale at ad agency WCRS.

The company doesn't represent Virgin - their client list is a matter of public record... which pretty much stands to reason when you consider that nobody would be stupid enough to try to publicise an airline by saying that their food was rubbish.

...and no... before you say it, all publicity isn't good publicity - as any marketing pro will tell you.

The agency doesn't represent any of Virgin's competitors either.

What's really fascinating about this story is how fast a really funny bit of writing has created an online urban legend. The story started spreading early last week. The Telegraph picked it up long after Coldmud. Virgin PR may or may not have responded by inviting the writer to their kitchens but the Torygraph certainly reported it as fact in a follow up story.

The idea of an ad agency copywriter being a suitable person to select food for Virgin customers on the basis of a well chosen phrase or two is patently absurd. Virgin know that, the Telegraph would know if they stopped to think for half a second and so should anyone reading the story.

Personally I think it's one of the freshest bits of food writing I've seen come out of the UK in years. Virgin must, justifiably be seething, those of us interested in the way online amplifies consumer power should be delighted and WCRS should be thinking about how much extra they should be paying this guy to stop him leaving and taking Giles Coren's job.

...and for those of us who appreciate good writing... lets all go back and read it again.

Edited January 30, 2009 by Tim Hayward (log)

[JMillar]

Reminds me of the time I was given a roll in a blue box on air merpati in indonesia. Yes just one roll in a blue box reflecting the companies livery, slightly sweet and a touch stale, but the killer angle - the roll was dyed blue too mmmmm

[BertieWooster]

The letter was written by a particularly talented creative called Oli Beale at ad agency WCRS.

ppreciate good writing... lets all go back and read it again.

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Though spectacularly self-obsessed if, on a flight from Mumbai a week after the bombings, his main object of interest was the food.

[CarolineLD]

Not to mention the irritating repetition of 'Richard' in every paragraph, third-rate-salesman style.