2310-Carroll Story {They broke his guitar. He broke their system. The world laughs.}

United Airlines will think twice before they throw another guitar. Either that or have millions of YouTube viewers to deal with.

Dave Carroll, a Canadian musician, created a nightmare for the Chicago based airline company when they refused to compensate him for a damaged guitar.

In 2008, Carroll saw employees of United Airlines carelessly throwing guitars and found his to be one of them. For a year he continued calling and explained that they were liable for his broken $3,500 Taylor guitar. After receiving no compensation or promising answers, Carroll told United he would go to the web with his story. And to the web he went. After only two days on YouTube, Carroll’s song had over two million hits.

In his self-titled, “United Breaks Guitars,” Dave Carroll tells his story of the experience he had with airline.

Carroll was at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, sitting in a plane, when he viewed employees of United throwing guitars. He spoke with three employees about his observation before he left for Halifax and all seemed indifferent. The He continued to contact United for the next year, asking about his guitar and compensation, only to be told, “I’m sorry,” and passed to the next person. “You broke it, you should fix it,” sings Carroll, “you’re liable just admit it.” In the chorus he suggests he would have been better off in a car, “because United breaks guitars.”

After the release, United quickly offered Carroll his compensation and could only hope he stop there. But he had promised a three-song performance! Carroll simply asked that the airline give the money to a charity and he released his next creation.

The second song, respectively titled “United Breaks Guitars Song 2,” went into more detail of his dealings with a Miss Irlwig, a particular United employee he spoke with during the year long ordeal. Irlwig is shown playing musical instruments as he sings, basically doing everything else but hearing him out. He says they could have had a friendship, but it was “muddied” by United’s policies.

The lyrics are strong, and so is the video. The video shows brightly dressed runway workers playfully throwing around luggage and guitar cases. All workers look like complete idiots; running over things and falling down.

Carroll’s act was simple and powerful. Not harsh, but direct. Not evil, but true.

His video shows the sheer power of social media. This approach can be taken in lots of directions by so many different people. Because technology was available for him to produce a relatively cheap film that could reach millions, United Airlines became the powerless party of the situation. YouTube, like so many other media outlets, is available to all and cannot be regulated by those that are criticized.
The power struggle ceases to exist when citizens take situations to the public through social media. Ultimately, United Airlines did have the power to withhold compensation from Carroll, but they were unable to stop the selling of their stocks when shareholders viewed or read Carroll’s story.

United reportedly lost over $100 million due to Carroll’s exploit. They have since chosen to embrace the videos. The airline has said they will use the videos as part of employee training.

There is still one video left. Who knows, maybe “real” United workers will show up on the screen. Not a bad idea really. How else will we know they are smarter then their fakes?