It is time to demolish and rebuild your brand.

British Airways likes to hit us with big numbers. It came bounding out of its induced pandemic torpor with an exuberant burst of outdoor, print, and online advertising featuring no fewer than 500 separate executions.

Five hundred! And we’re not talking about minor amends to prior copy here, but a conveyor belt of craft, with each ad a smartly observed original, in service of its new ‘British original’ slogan. They were everywhere, got commented on by everyone, and won everything in sight, including a 2023 Cannes Lions Grand Prix.

True, there were detractors, and to be fair, I was among them. The ads have nothing to do with BA, we cried. They’re about the joys of travel. They’re generic. There’s no attempt to give a feel for the holistic British Airways experience.

Now we know why. A Which? survey this February saw BA four rungs from bottom place in its assessment of 22 short-haul carriers, and even closer to the wooden spoon for long-haul flying, limping in 14th out of 17. The airline got lukewarm appraisal for its cleanliness, cabins and food. And it was the very worst long-haul performer for last-minute cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers ripping up their plans and tearing out their hair.