When it comes to brand experiences, especially in the luxury sector, people like to talk about the customer journey. But what exactly is this customer journey? A good person to ask is Matteo Atti. After all, his job is all about sending people on a journey – by private jet.
Silver metallic with a red stripe: VistaJet has chosen a distinctive look for its planes. The company was founded by Swiss entrepreneur Thomas Flohr. In the early 2000s, as an occasional user of the charter market, Flohr noticed that there was plenty of room for improvement in the private aviation sector in terms of brand consistency and customer service. His answer: he bought a plane of his own, gave it an eye-catching design, and put the focus entirely on service. That starts with fully equipped business suites and goes all the way to cozy family suites served by cabin hosts. His employees aren’t just any service staff, but have been trained by the British Butler Institute, MedAire, Norland College and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Today VistaJet has one of the largest private jet fleets in the world, with more than 360 aircraft.
Presenting the company’s luxury expertise to the public is the job of Matteo Atti. In addition to his duties as chief marketing officer at VistaJet and its parent company Vista Global, he also teaches at the International University of Monaco as Professor of Luxury Business Development, the only department of its kind in the world.
Mr. Atti, what is luxury? Can you describe the essential features of luxury from your point of view?
Everything I have seen, collected, learned and observed about this industry points to one conclusion: luxury means freedom. The freedom to have the best choices available to me, and the freedom to select from the best of the best the one thing that meets my needs or desires and makes me feel good. Looking at trends, it’s important to recognize that, more than ever, consumers are looking for high, intrinsic value these days – and that goes far beyond price.
Luxury is often perceived negatively in the overall public debate. Why is that? Is it a cultural phenomenon, a national one, or perhaps even market-specific?
I get the feeling that some people don’t understand the main purpose of companies: to create exceptional products and services. It’s not about being servants to the rich; our passion is to design something potentially priceless – a privilege that requires absolute care, time and energy.
Is priceless the same as timeless?
Of course, there are luxury products that take you back in time. As with a picture, these products can stop time and take the form of a specific moment in life. When that happens, it can take your breath away in the present and in the future. And that is the exact definition of timeless.
Does that mean that luxury brands have a guaranteed future?
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Luxury companies currently face the question of how to stay relevant to the next generation. According to the latest study by Bain and Altagamma, Millennials and Generation Z were responsible for all of the growth in the global luxury market in 2022. And luxury spending by Generation Z and Alpha is expected to grow three times more quickly than that of other generations by 2030. The current spate of brand collaborations shows just how important these younger groups are to luxury companies. Partnerships with streetwear, sportswear and luxury brands have become commonplace: Gucci working with Palace, Dior with ERL, Louis Vuitton with Nike – to name just three. There are definitely mixed reactions to this, which should be a gentle reminder to luxury brands to keep an eye on the risk of brand dilution and customer fatigue when going all out.
How do you address this young target group?
Vista, the holding company behind VistaJet, is targeting Millennials and Generation Z with its XO brand, offering the first business aviation marketplace for a group of affluent customers accustomed to the immediacy of online purchasing. While VistaJet promises a service built on exquisite elegance, XO offers membership in a global digital marketplace to fly instantly and at maximum value at the click of a mouse button.
And how do you feel about partnerships?
When it comes to the future generations, partnerships are extremely important. This is not reflected in the cabin concept of our private jets, however. That remains constant. But we are constantly developing the on-board and destination entertainment offerings. VistaJet’s Private World gives our members access to the most exclusive facilities and people in the world and strengthens the community aspect while maintaining the relevance of the brand. We take a similar approach with regard to brand ambassadors. There’s a fine line between working with an up-and-coming influencer and an individual who magnifies authentic trust in the company. Working with the right ambassador can firmly establish the brand in the minds of potential customers. Our five-year partnership with Ferrari is built on the decision to work only with indisputably iconic brands and individuals. Similarly, the choice of No. 1 golfer Jon Rahm as brand ambassador brought a personable, fresh and unexpected focus on the value of winning.
What exactly is the concept behind VistaJet?
VistaJet’s mission is to establish a unique product in the private aviation market that guarantees a flight anytime and anywhere with the highest level of service and a consistent customer experience on every flight. Memberships are customized to meet the individual needs of each member. This is how it all started almost twenty years ago.
And how has the market developed since then?
A lot has happened since then. Twenty years ago, when a brand organized a major launch of a new product or concept, it was all handled in one way – and in one way only. Today, a launch starts with a teaser phase, followed by an engagement phase and a conversation phase, before an initial launch to early adopters. Why? Because VistaJet understood then and most brands understand now that certain customers know more about what exactly they need than others. This allows us to collaboratively define new ideas and use different delivery models to share messages with the customer base. These customers add value by providing information about how things can be done better. It takes us back to the days of telling stories around the campfire, sharing experiences and expanding our knowledge. So in a way, we’re going back to what comes most naturally to people: sharing. Of course, the big brands still want to steer certain conversations, but they’ve never been more open to public opinion and advice as they are today.
And what advice did VistaJet take?
You can see that in our customer experience programs. These range from VistaPet, the first service to make flying with your four-legged companion easier, to Adventures in the Sky, which creates memories for kids, to our Wine in the Sky program. And because most of our customers have a passion for fine dining, VistaJet has partnered with the Nobu restaurant chain and now works with more than one hundred of the most sought-after private chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. As a result, we create unforgettable culinary moments for our members in the air and on the ground.
What makes for a perfect summer from your brand’s point of view?
Quite simply, when the journey begins the moment you take off. We put you in a vacation mood as soon as you enter the cabin, because a private flight buys you extra time. Our service goes beyond fulfilling needs and desires and aims to elegantly create special moments to make every minute count. It creates a space between the real world that you leave behind and the magic of the holiday ahead. We want our jets to be a part of the vacation, not just a means of getting there. And we help make your trip exactly what you dreamed it would be. Gone are the days of hunting for highlights, checking off vacation destinations and just skimming the surface. These days, it’s all about unique adventures that leave our customers with profound memories that will permanently shape their lives by enriching the mind and spirit, enhancing their well-being and opening up new ways of thinking. A trip like that becomes an integral part of who we are, and we want to contribute to that accordingly with our current travel program.
What are the important things in your life?
I value passion, vision and creativity. I want to leave my mark by being part of something new. I want to challenge the norm and build on what generations before us have created by reinterpreting their insights.
Why should I fly with VistaJet at least once in my life? Or, for that matter, more than once?
Because it’s something where you don’t know if you want to repeat it until you’ve experienced it. Can private flying really be that good? There’s only one way to find out . . .
MATTEO ATTI was born in 1976 in Argenta, Italy, studied communications in Bologna and has more than fifteen years of marketing and business experience in the luxury, fashion and telecommunications sectors. He started his career at Gucci during Tom Ford’s tenure, later leading the business development team for Bottega Veneta. In London he worked alongside Sir Paul Smith to introduce a customer-centric approach and to refocus the company. Matteo Atti has been chief marketing officer of VistaJet since 2016. At VistaJet he heads a global team responsible for the entire customer journey, in addition to his position as Professor of Luxury Business Development at the International University of Monaco.
Interview by Michael Köckritz for ramp
Photos by ramp.pictures
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