When a balance sheet becomes more important than a brand

I am so desperately worried about the sale of 49% of the Virgin Atlantic brand to Delta Airlines.

Whilst I appreciate that it has had serious losses for the last year, it still doesn't alter the fact that when major brands are either bought out or merged, the brand and its values are totally compromised.

Look at Habitat, HMV, EMI, and Safeway's amongst others, all serious brands that have all ended up at the receivers because of uncompromising and ruthless take overs and mergers.

I am a huge fan of Virgin Atlantic, from its swashbuckling business activity to its fantastic advertising campaigns. All based and powered on its brand values; fun, innovative, caring, honest and value.

I can almost say I use Virgin the generic brand because of what it represents, so I am a passionate and committed customer, one that will be disappointed and sad if it disappears like American Airlines did.

Richard Branson has bet a remarkable £1m with Willie Walsh that Virgin Atlantic will still be intact in 5 years time. A brave and re-assuring move.

But I have horrible feeling that this huge brand, just like the huge empires from history, will end up in the hands of a group of greedy accountants, and not in the hands of a group of innovative marketeers.