Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Communication Strategy, Crap Campaigns In History, Creativity, Flying, Holiday, Imagination, Marketing, Marketing Fail
So I was at the tube station recently when I saw this …
Seriously … what the hell is this rubbish?
Do they honestly believe people will believe this?
That they can get on the plane and either:
1. Tell the pilot where they want to go, regardless where the plane is supposed to be going.
Or …
2. Tell the pilot which way to go, like they’re in a cab?
What the hell is wrong with these airlines?
I mean I thought that horrific Lufthansa ad was peak crap, but this is possibly even worse.
At the very least, it’s a tie for plane crash advertising … though, to be fair, Etihad only have one stupid statement on their ad compared to their German competitor, who not only talks about ‘air travel engineered around you’ [lie] but follows it up by suggesting the experience on their plane is better than having a drink on a roof top bar at sunset. [another lie]
Alright … alright … I admit I have an allegiance to Virgin Atlantic after years of working on their ads and having a close relationship with some of the people at the company, but not only have I never proposed making work that suggests the passenger is in control of where they go or how they fly, I know if I did they’d not only not buy it, they’d fire me on the spot.
What are Etihad thinking?
Who is advising them on this rubbish?
Why is it the best airlines – Virgin Atlantic and S7 and occasionally, Delta aside – have the worst advertising?
There is so much to write about air travel.
There is so much to talk about what it enables people to see, feel, experience and learn.
I once read a stat that said air travel is the only method of transportation that has reduced in price [based on average incomes] over the years. Or said another way, airlines are more effective at helping cultures interact and learn about each other than the United Nations.
But what do they end up saying?
Nothing.
They say nothing other than bland lies that no one will believe.
I can help you Etihad. I want to help you. You’re a great airline that deserves so much better.
Call me … I won’t even ask for free upgrades. Probably.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Audio Visual, Brand, Cars, Creative Brief, Creative Development, Creativity, Design, Differentiation, Marketing
Hello. Back again.
Sorry. Ha.
So I was looking through a bunch of old D&AD annuals and one thing that struck me was how brilliant print and outdoor ads once were.
Clear.
Powerful.
Crafted specifically for that medium.
But today, in these over-rational, client-directive days, they’ve become nothing more than brochures for product features.
OK, there’s still some that are fighting for the medium – there’s the McDonald’s work that recently came out of Leo Burnett London [which many people are hating on without realising their arguments often reinforce why they are so good] and Uncommon are using print and billboards in a way that reclaims their glory days – but generally, they’re a shadow of their previous self.
Which is why I like these Tesla ads that have recently come out …
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Clean.
Simple.
Uses the medium to convey a product truth … albeit in a mischievous way.
OK, so if I was being a dick, I could say that any electric car company could do this and their logo is still the most horrific, dated design I’ve seen in a long time … but it makes you smile, embraces the slightly cheeky tone of the brand, reminds people of some benefits they may not realises and doesn’t use the same ‘aspirational lifestyle imagery’ most car brands like to use.
Which makes me think print isn’t dead, it’s our imagination on how to use it that might be.