You heard it here first folks (see "Roaches and Reptiles" -- written last November). After watching the PBS Frontline documentary The Persuaders (written by media theorist Doug Rushkoff), I predicted that this strange airline would soon crash and burn. Here's the story:

Delta to Eliminate Discount Carrier Song

Oct 28 10:05 AM US/Eastern

AP -- Delta Air Lines Inc., which is reorganizing under protection from the federal bankruptcy court, announced plans Friday to discontinue its discount carrier Song by May 2006 and incorporate Song's fleet into Delta's regular service. In the interim, Delta plans to include first-class service on Song's 48 planes in an attempt to make the flights more attractive to business travelers and to conform with Delta's regular service. "As Delta continues its transformation to become a more customer- focused airline, we are incorporating the best of Song into the best of Delta," said Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein in a statement. "Our new Song service will set the standard in transcontinental travel, making Delta the first choice for customers on these routes." The financially-strapped parent company also plans to convert an additional 50-plus Delta aircraft to two-class Song service and expand in-flight entertainment on Song flights. Joanne Smith, currently president of Song, has been named vice president of consumer maketing for Delta, effective immediately. Atlanta-based Delta filed for Chapter 11 bankrupcy protection from creditors in New York on Sept. 14.

Whatever the jibberish about "incorporating the best of Song into the best of Delta," this is clearly a failed experiment. The question is: What does this experiment teach us? In my opinion, it teaches us that companies cannot rely on Madison avenue to create a corporate vision. That's what seems to have happened here. We're not talking about image problems; we are talking about "the vision thing." Song never had it. And it's not something you can just outsource to "mystical branding gurus."