"It's never been just about flying."
What beautiful storytelling. It was hard to to watch without a dry eye at the end.
That is, if you overlook the fact that apparently it's so freaking expensive to fly on British Airways a boy can't afford to fly home to see his mum.
And if you also overlook the fact this tactic is so overused by travel industries it becomes parity. As if somehow piggy backing on our emotional moments makes up for an overcrowded, cramped, expensive, experience in the air. As if somehow the rude flight attendant actually gives a shit about the reason why you fly.
Not to mention the lost luggage.
British Airways has been running on this 'we connect people' platform for ages now. But their service is anything but.
So if you're a hardened jaded creative whose eyes still welled up at the end of this ad, here's an idea: Start thinking about creative ways to make your clients walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Because no beautiful tv spot/film/long form content piece will ever make up for a bad experience in the air. Perhaps British Airways should, in addition to bringing us all together, make it "about flying." You know-- since it's their job and all.
Remember what Jerry Della Famina said, kids: Nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising.
Client: British Airways
Agency: Ogilvy New York
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Well, I fly British airways a lot on long-hauls and I do it specifically because their cabin crew are kind of amazing. They're a very special kind of service-minded, with a distinct UK flair that I just love (when landing in London). Heathrow is a mess, terminal 5 where BA is, is quiet. I wish they would take better care of this, as I've had terrible ground service in some cities and I know that the UK cabin crew arm is basically propping up the entire brand at this point.
I do agree with you that the emotion story angle is getting to be Airliner standard these days, and wish they hadn't done it that way. Bringing people together is BA's hallmark since forever, it's a shame that this made me think Expedia right before I went to find my kleenex.
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