easyJet “Imagine Where We Can Take You” TV advertising campaign September 2018 (Image Credit: VCCP for easyJet)
easyJet has launched a new Europe wide advertising campaign based around the thought “Imagine Where We Can Take You.”
In a TV advertisement we see a passenger gaze out of the window mid-flight. Through the mind of the passenger, the viewer is transported in a dream-like sequence to a range of ski, beach and city destinations, interwoven with easyJet’s signature colour orange.
It is noteworthy this ad does not mention price, traditionally easyJet’s main selling point. It focuses on the emotional appeal of the brand and the strapline “Generation easyJet”. This is a sign of much the easyJet brand has developed and matured in its near 25 year history.
It is also no accident that a close-up of a female pilot is featured as easyJet is actively campaigning to increase the number of female pilots.
The ad launches on UK TV tonight, Friday 14 September 2018, during “Gogglebox” on Channel 4.
With Virgin Atlantic also launching a “Masterbrand” ad campaign this weekend, we can’t help but notice it is also exactly five years since BA ran a major brand led TV campaign with its “Today Tomorrow” TV ad. A new Masterbrand campaign from BA is long overdue.
Virgin Atlantic & Virgin Holidays have launched two new ad campaigns based around the concepts of “Depart The Everyday” and “The World Is Your Playground”.
Virgin Atlantic “Depart The Everyday” TV advertising campaign September 2018 (Image Credit: AMVBDDO for Virgin Atlantic)
Virgin Atlantic has launched a new TV advertising campaign under the banner of “Depart The Everyday”.
Filmed in a mock-up Virgin Atlantic aircraft cabin, you see passengers depart a dreary and overcast UK and enter into a surrealist world in all three cabins at 38,000 feet.
The aircraft hold is a ball pool. Passengers dance on the ceiling. The air vents dispense rainbow ice cream. Of course, no Virgin Atlantic TV advertisement would be complete without a shot of its signature Upper Class bar and suite. It exudes Virgin Atlantic’s characteristic self-confidence.
Virgin Atlantic “Depart The Everyday” TV advertising campaign September 2018 (Image Credit: AMVBDDO for Virgin Atlantic)
British Airways 100 Years Of Aviation Posters (Image Credit: British Airways)
In the very early days of commercial aviation, the principal means by which airlines advertised their services was the poster.
American Airlines, Braniff International Airways, Pan American World Airways, Swissair, Trans World Airways, United Airlines and many others all used the medium to great effect. This was not only to sell the relatively new idea of flying to a small constituency of wealthy travellers, but also their respective fleets and route networks, to passengers in their home markets and around the world.
In his latest book on British Airways, Paul Jarvis has selected 200 posters from a collection of over 1,000 posters from BA’s near 100 year history.
It begins with a poster from the very first BA predecessor airline, Aircraft Transport & Travel, which operated the first commercial air service from London to Paris on 25 August 1919.
The book also features an extensive collection of posters from other predecessor airlines including Imperial Airways, BEA and BOAC.
Not only do the posters cover developments in technology such as the VC-10, Boeing 747 and Concorde, but also major occasions of the 20th Century, such as the 1948 Olympic Games, 1951 Festival of Britain and 1953 Coronation. They all rely heavily on illustration and feature a variety of styles, notably the modernism of Imperial Airways’ posters in the 1930s.
The book inevitably focuses on advertising between the 1920s and 1960s as television took over as the principal advertising medium for airlines. BA of course used television advertising to great effect in the 1980s and beyond.
However, there are many more recent posters in the book such as BBH’s 2012 Olympics campaign and illustrations by Carla Lucena for the launch of London Gatwick – Lima in 2016.
Sadly, the book’s author passed away in the week of publication.
Paul Jarvis was a much respected and liked colleague who for over 15 years has volunteered as the curator of the British Airways Heritage Collection. This is particularly untimely as next year BA will celebrate its centenary. There can be no doubt Paul’s work has played a vital role in airline’s preparations for its centenary.
The release of a Christmas film by airlines and airports is now a regular fixture in the festive calendar. In previous years some have attracted audiences in the hundreds of millions.
Here is our collection of films released by the world’s airlines and airports for 2017 which we will update up to Christmas Eve.
As ever, these films are a timely reminder of the value of aviation in bringing people together.
For a retrospective view, here’s our collections from 2016,2015, and 2014.
BA is parting company with its advertising agency of 12 years, Bartle Bogle Hegarty (“BBH”).
BBH has produced what is understood to be its last work for the airline, a new safety video which also seeks to raise funds for its charity partner, Comic Relief.
The advertising and media group WPP (led by Sir Martin Sorrell) has secured the BA advertising account as well as work for other business units of BA’s parent company, International Airlines Group.
BBH won the advertising account for BA in late 2005, prizing it away from Charles and Maurice Saatchi whose relationship with BA dated back to the 1980s. The Saatchi brothers have been credited with transforming BA’s image from “Bloody Awful” to “The World’s Favourite Airline”.
At the time, such was the prestige attached to the BA advertising account, the move generated huge headlines. M&C Saatchi responded by taking out a double page advertisement in The Times stating is was “Now taking new airline bookings”. In 2007, it also remade “The Face” for the now defunct rival airline Silverjet.
It is fair to say it took a while for BBH to get into its stride. Much of this was due to BA itself. The airline encountered significant operational issues at its Heathrow hub, most notably the chaotic opening of Terminal 5 in 2008. Then followed the financial crisis which depressed BA’s traffic numbers and triggered industrial relations tensions as BA sought to restructure its business.
To 2017, this year has been something of an “annus horribilis” for BA. It has received a torrent of negative publicity for service cutbacks, notably the introduction of “Buy On Board” food and drink on short-haul flights. Furthermore, issues that had dogged the airline in the past, such as industrial relations tensions and operational issues at Heathrow, have returned to the fore. Frequent flyers have also become weary at service cut backs and a lack of innovation on board.
WPP will need to reinvograte the brand for the benefit of not only customers, but also its staff and opinion formers. However, as history has shown for BA, an agency can only produce its best work when its client has confidence in itself from putting its best foot forward.
Here’s our run through of BBH’s notable work for BA:
The release of an annual Christmas film from the world’s major airlines and airports is now a regular fixture in the calendar. In previous years some videos and PR stunts have attracted audiences in the hundreds of millions worldwide on social media.
Here is our collection of films released by the world’s airlines and airports for 2016.
As ever, these films are a timely reminder as to what air travel is really about: bring people together.
As is customary for the festive season, many of the world’s airlines have produced films and images to share the spirit of the Christmas / Festive / Holiday (delete as appropriate!) season and mark the end of a year of travelling in 2015.
Here are a few videos and images that caught our attention. As always, a consistent theme of these videos is a reminder about what air travel is fundamentally about: bring people together.
Paul has followed up his illustrated history of British Airways (published last year) with “Better By Design – Shaping The British Airways Brand”.
This is an illustrated guide to BA’s visual identity from its predecessor airlines BOAC and BEA to the BA of today. The book explores the evolution of advertising, aircraft interiors, on-board experience and crew uniform fashions, and how these have come together to shape not only the BA brand but the way we view commercial aviation.
The 160 page paperback title is published by Amberley Publishing which has a special pre-order offer (at the time of writing) of £13.79.
For an example of more recent work for BA, we suggest visiting the website of David Davis and Stuart Brandon who have worked on the most recent brand identity for the airline.
National and regional origins always played a part in the marketing and brand identity of legacy airlines. Whether it’s the understated professionalism of British Airways or the gracious Asian hospitality of Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airlines.
However, a balance has to be struck. If it’s forced too hard it can be overwhelming for international passengers. And for local passengers it can feel contrived, or plain cringe-worthy.
Air France has taken the concept of national carrier branding a step further with the strapline “France Is In The Air”.
Following a print campaign last year, Air France has launched a new TV advertisement which will be shown in France as well as Italy, Brazil, the United States, China and Japan:
