The Power of YouTube 2310

After his guitar was broken during a flight with United Airlines, singer/songwriter Dave Carroll sought $3500 compensation for his damaged guitar. When United Airlines refused Carroll warned that he would write a song about his experience and post it to the popular video sharing website YouTube. United Airlines refused and Carroll created a song which was posted in early July, and has since that posting his video has reached over 5 million viewings. In response, stockholders have since been selling their shares, and United Airlines has lost over $180 million.

The story is all explained in Carroll’s song “United Breaks Guitars”, and at his website. According to Carroll, he tried for several months to be compensated for his damaged guitar and after months of empty leads and tries, he stated “At that moment it occurred to me that I had been fighting a losing battle all this time and that fighting over this at all was a waste of time.” Carroll then says that the experience gave him a musical outlet and inspiration for his songwriting. He then decided to create three videos of the experience with a goal of reaching one million collective hits.

He did that in two days with his first video.

Way to go Dave Carroll. He launched his musical career to another level. He served revenge to United Airlines for a negative experience which they hosted. It is my tendency to feel bad for United Airlines, even Carroll himself has addressed that he worked with people that were trying their best to do their jobs and stand for United Airlines’ policies. But again, this is business, and if a positive experience is not provided to a customer, then positive feedback won’t be provided.

Now my thoughts in United Airlines favor: What a time to be in Public Relations for United! In an attempt to restore a positive image, they offered to compensate Carroll for his guitar, but Carroll said it came to late. Carroll has stated that he has yet to write a third song, and for this song, United Airlines is still at his mercy. In an Interview with the CBS Morning Show, Carroll said this third song may even become a love story between the two. Now just as United Airlines gave Dave Carroll an outlet for his musical ability, Carroll is now giving United Airlines a great opportunity. Because of this experience, United Airlines has been put into the spotlight of the airline industry. Their mishandling of the situation with Carroll in the first place was a strike, but this may be an opportunity for a home run. If United Airlines embraces this already public embarrassment, make it a learning example, and publicly show improvement, United Airlines can become the peoples’ hero. The stage has been set, people are in their seats, now what will United Airlines do?