I recently posted about the Jet2Holidays viral phenomenon, engaging a debate around the positive and negative effects of the viral trend that has seen its soundtrack and voiceover repurposed for contrasting holiday experiences. Then, I explored the broader untapped opportunity that user-generated content presents for businesses across all sectors. Now, I’d like to bring these threads together with a comprehensive campaign strategy that offers the perfect solution to Jet2Holidays’ viral dilemma.
The Jet2Holidays Situation
The viral debate surrounding Jet2Holidays has created national attention. Their distinctive soundtrack and voiceover, originally crafted to evoke positive holiday emotions, has been repurposed across social media to highlight negative holiday experiences. This has placed the brand in an uncomfortable spotlight, with their carefully crafted audio identity now associated with the worst of ‘Brits Abroad’.
Current analysis of the viral content reveals a stark imbalance: approximately 85-90% of the million-plus videos using the Jet2 audio showcase negative experiences, chaotic situations, or travel disasters. What started as brand recognition has become a double-edged sword. The same audio elements that made their advertising memorable are now being used to frame stories of delayed flights, disappointing accommodations, and holiday disasters. The company finds itself trending for all the wrong reasons, with its brand voice literally narrating negative experiences they had no part in creating.
With several million customers currently enjoying their holidays and national media coverage keeping the conversation active, Jet2Holidays faces a critical choice: remain reactive to this negative viral content or take decisive action to reclaim its narrative.
The Strategic Solution: A UGC Competition
Rather than simply weathering the storm, the company should seize this moment to flood social media with authentic, positive customer stories. The solution? A strategic user-generated content (UGC) competition that transforms millions of summer holidaymakers into brand advocates.
The Immediate Action Plan
Jet2Holidays needs to act swiftly whilst the conversation remains active. The company should immediately launch a weekly UGC competition offering holiday prizes to customers who share their best Jet2 experiences. This isn’t just about damage control. It’s about demonstrating the authentic reality of what the brand delivers.
Multi-Channel Customer Outreach
Direct Customer Communication: Text all customers, past and present, announcing the competition. These are people who’ve already experienced the service and understand its value firsthand.
In-Resort Activation: Resort representatives should make this competition a cornerstone of their customer communication strategy. From welcome meetings to poolside chats, the message should be consistent: we want to celebrate your experiences.
Physical Touchpoints: Competition details should appear on hotel notice boards, transfer coaches, and anywhere customers naturally gather. Make it impossible to miss.
Social Media Amplification: Given the existing viral momentum and national news coverage, announcing this competition will naturally attract media attention. The narrative shifts from “brand under the spotlight for Brits Abroad” to “brand championing customer voices of positive holiday experiences.”
Hashtag Strategy
Keep it simple. Rather than overcomplicating things by building landing pages for competition entry submissions, I’d recommend running a social-centric campaign using a hashtag such as #MyJet2Moments. It’s personal, it’s memorable, and it practically invites customers to share their special experiences. Plus, it’ll get the campaign off to a flying start by making participation feel effortless, as customers just need to remember one hashtag and they’re in.
Taking Control of the Narrative
The mathematics alone makes this compelling. Several million current customers represent millions of potential positive stories. Even a small participation rate would generate thousands of authentic testimonials. But here’s where behavioural science becomes your secret weapon: behaviour breeds behaviour.
By flooding social platforms with positive content, you create a cascade effect that inspires others to share their own positive experiences. This isn’t just about volume; it’s about shifting the entire conversation. When people see predominantly positive content associated with your brand, they’re psychologically primed to contribute positively themselves. The ratio of videos gradually tips from negative to positive, fundamentally changing the narrative landscape.
The viral moment that seemed threatening becomes the catalyst for showcasing what the brand actually delivers: real holidays, real happiness, real value.
The Universal Power of User-Generated Content
While Jet2’s situation provides a compelling case study, the principles behind this strategy extend far beyond the travel industry. Every business with satisfied customers is sitting on a content goldmine that most companies barely scratch the surface of.
Why UGC Works Across All Industries
User-generated content succeeds because it solves the fundamental challenge every brand faces: trust. When customers share their genuine experiences, they’re not selling; they’re simply telling their truth. This authenticity cannot be manufactured or purchased; it can only be earned through delivering genuine value.
Potential customers scroll past polished advertisements but pause for real stories from real people. Whether it’s a family selfie at the airport, a customer’s delight with a new product, or a genuine testimonial about exceptional service, these authentic moments resonate far more powerfully than any scripted advertisement.
The Pocket-Sized Content Revolution
Every customer carries a sophisticated content creation studio in their pocket. These mobile phones represent an untapped army of authentic storytellers whose real experiences can transform how businesses communicate their value.
We’re all content creators now, whether we realise it or not. The difference between a professional advert and a customer’s genuine reaction is authenticity, and audiences can spot it immediately across any industry.
Beyond Travel: Universal Applications
Retail: Fashion brands can showcase real customers wearing their clothes in everyday situations, moving beyond staged photoshoots to authentic style inspiration.
Hospitality: Restaurants can feature genuine dining experiences, from the anticipation of ordering to the satisfaction of the final bite.
Technology: Software companies can highlight real-world problem-solving moments, demonstrating how their tools actually enhance people’s workflows.
Healthcare: Wellness brands can share authentic transformation stories that resonate more deeply than clinical testimonials.
From Broadcaster to Facilitator
The companies that understand this shift from broadcaster to facilitator will dominate their sectors. They’ll stop talking at their customers and start empowering them to tell their own stories. This represents a fundamental change in how businesses approach marketing and customer relationships.
The Longer-Term Vision
With proper planning, any business can establish systems to capture and leverage customer content. Dedicated platforms where customers register and submit their experiences create treasure troves of authentic material whilst building deeper customer relationships.
However, the beauty of UGC strategies lies in their scalability – from simple hashtag campaigns to sophisticated content ecosystems.
The Bottom Line
In an era where authenticity trumps advertising, the most powerful marketing strategy isn’t what you say about your brand. It’s empowering your satisfied customers to tell the world what you’ve delivered for them.
For Jet2Holidays, this crisis isn’t just an opportunity to recover – it’s a chance to revolutionise how they tell their story. For every other business watching this unfold, it could be a masterclass in turning challenge into competitive advantage through the authentic voices of happy customers.
The question isn’t whether your customers have great stories to tell about your business. It’s whether you’re brave enough to let them tell your story.