Qantas showcases the Spirit of Australia as travel recovers in new campaign via The Monkeys
More than 35 years after Qantas first launched an advertising campaign using the iconic Peter Allen anthem I Still Call Australia Home, the airline has unveiled a new version of the advertisement via The Monkeys part of Accenture Interactive, to showcase Australia as the world re-opens and travellers return to the skies.
The advert has a contemporary arrangement of the song and features the vocals of a new generation of the Australian Girls Choir together with National Boys Choir, the Gondwana Choir and some of Australia’s most loved personalities.
Along with Kylie Minogue, Ash Barty, Hugh Jackman and Troye Sivan, the campaign also stars children from Longreach, Qantas staff, Adam Goodes, members of Bangarra Dance Theatre, swimmers Bronte Campbell and Ellie Cole and Aboriginal Elder Rene Kulitja.
The advert was filmed pre-COVID at locations around Australia, from the spectacular Hutt Lagoon in WA to the jagged cliffs of Cape Raoul in Tasmania. Scenes were also filmed in Melbourne, Uluru, Hobart, Brisbane, Sydney, South Australia’s salt lakes, Longreach, the Whitsundays, Los Angeles, Tokyo and London.
The final cut of the advertisement highlights emotional reunions with loved ones as more Australians are travelling domestically and international visitors are returning.
Domestic travel demand has strengthened significantly since February this year, with Qantas and Jetstar’s capacity for Easter expected to reach 110 per cent of pre-COVID levels. This compares with an average of 40 per cent for the second half of last calendar year.
Internationally, bookings for destinations including Los Angeles, London and Hawaii are above pre-COVID levels and another boost is expected when New Zealand’s border opens to Australians from 12 April. Qantas has added several new overseas routes in the past six months, including Perth-Rome and Melbourne-Delhi, with more to follow.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said now is the ideal time to unveil the new version of the much-loved theme and provide a boost to Australia’s tourism industry recovery: “The last major Qantas advert came as the country was rolling up its sleeves to be vaccinated so we could all reconnect, and it really struck a chord. Now that borders are finally open, and staying open, this is the perfect time to relaunch this Peter Allen classic as the national carrier’s anthem.
“The full version of this advert is effectively a short film that highlights Australia’s stunning natural beauty and unique culture while celebrating the incredible resilience that has really shone through recently.
“After a very difficult two years, we’re focused on recovery and have a lot of exciting things in the pipeline, including several new international destinations, decisions on new aircraft and recruiting more people.”
Former Australian of the Year and former AFL footballer Adam Goodes was filmed for the advert waist deep in Bondi Beach’s Icebergs ocean baths in the middle of winter and said he was proud to be part of the campaign: “I’m honoured to be involved in something that celebrates our unique country and culture and will hopefully help the recovery of tourism operators by inspiring travellers to get out and explore all Australia has to offer.”
Qantas began using the iconic song in 1987 and an updated TVC was launched in August 1994 to coincide with the Commonwealth Games which were held in Canada. The Qantas Choir first featured in the advert in 1998.
Qantas has used various versions of the I Still Call Australia Home advert over the years, most recently in 2009, but this is the first time the airline has recreated the entire original TVC concept.
Says Mark Green, co-founder and group CEO of The Monkeys and lead at Accenture Interactive: “Working on a new version of such an iconic campaign to showcase Australia alongside some truly inspirational Australians was an exciting challenge, and it’s even more exciting to share it with the world.
“We worked hard to stay true to the emotion and enormous sense of national pride this campaign has always inspired and incorporating real vision of a family reunion at the airport gave the advert a highly relatable relevance, with many Australians now finally able to rejoice in being together again.”
Filmaker Kiku Ohe said the emotion of the song resonates with so many people and holds a special place in the Australian psyche: “We aimed to craft an atmospheric and stirring cinematic film to speak to the hearts and spirit of all Australians. There is no better way to herald Qantas’ return to travel than by celebrating Australia’s vast landscape and diverse people.”
From this Sunday, the TVC will be screened in Australia on TV, billboards, print and digital sites at various times throughout 2022. The advertisement will be shown on all Qantas International flights arriving into Australia.
Creative Agency: The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive
Co-Founder & Group Chief Creative Officer: Scott Nowell
Co-Founder & Group Chief Creative Officer: Justin Drape
Co-Founder & Group CEO: Mark Green
Chief Creative Officer: Tara Ford
Executive Creative Director: Barbara Humphries
Creative Director: Scott Zuliani, Connor Beaver & Barbara Humphries
Creative Team: Scott Zuliani & Connor Beaver
Copywriter: Justin Drape
Managing Director: Matt Michael
Business Lead: Kezia Quinn
Group Business Director: Shannon Duhig
Business Director: Greig Carlow
Senior Business Manager: Roshani Metha
Executive Planning Director: Fabio Buresti
Head of Planning: Hugh Munro
Senior Planner: Brona Kilkelly
Social Planning: Charlotte Goodsir
Creative Services Director: Marcella Balestrini
Digital Design Lead: Eva Godney
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Penny Brown
Producer: Cathryn Cooper
Production Operations Manager: Anna Bradica
Production Company: Rabbit
Director: Kiku Ohe
Executive Producers: Alex Hay & Lucas Jenner
Producer: Alex Hay
Producer: Marcus Butler
Producer: Lucas Jenner
Pre-Production Producer: Nick Simkins & Alex Hay
Production: Morgan Hind
Director Assistant: Daniel Fletcher
Cinematographer: Jeremy Rouse
Production Manager: Amanda Yu
1st AD: Topher Dow
UK Facilitation Company: Stink
US Facilitation Company: Superprime
Japanese Facilitation Company: Mr + Positive
Edit House: ARC EDIT
Editor: Simon Price
Producers: Daniel Fry & Olivia Carolan
Colourist: Mark Gethin, MPC Los Angeles
Post Production & VFX: Blackbird
VFX Supervisor: Nick Ponzoni
Post Producer: Ali Kennedy
Additional Post Production & VFX: Heckler
Senior Flame Artist: Brad Smith
Executive Post Producer: Carlos Zalapa
Sound Production
Sound Post Production: Song Zu
Sound Designer: Simon Kane
Executive Producer: Katrina Aquilia
Composer
Music Mixed and Produced at Turning Studios
Composer and Executive Music Producer: Elliott Wheeler
Musical Director: Cameron Bruce
Associate Music Producer: Jamieson Shaw
Music Editor: Jamieson Shaw
Vocal Director, London session: Brydon Stace
Turning Studios Producer: Carla de Menezes Ribeiro
Casting Director: Stevie Ray
Print Production
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Tanith Williamson
Senior Producer: Sonia Ebrington
Designer: Melissa Watson
Photography: The Kitchen Creative Management
Photographer: Toby Burrows
1st Assistant Photographer: Felipe de Neves Morais
Producer: Mark Gardiner
Retouching: Cream Electric Art
85 Comments
Beautiful.
Can we have our $2billion back please – you can clearly afford it.
The song wasn’t the agency’s idea.
The execution is basically the agency’s old Shipsong project.
Yet, it’s so impeccably made it’s impossible not enjoy.
Congrats. Kinda.
This bored me to tears.
Why? Your comment is superfluous otherwise.
How did they manage to make this dull boring and unemotional?
Terrific! And absolutely beautiful.
Beautiful
Lovely job. Congratulations all.
Or entertained. Or even mildly interested
That bit felt like it could have been re-written/tweaked this time around. Other than that, best one they’ve made in a long time.
of Ogilvy’s campaign? Nice pictures.
Goosebumps.
Incredible.
It’s nice… and maybe the right thing to do. It’s a bit expected and long. I don’t really understand why Qantas needed a creative agency to make this ad? They had the song… montage of obvious celebrities and landmarks… just go straight to a film maker / director. There are no ideas in this. Do you need a creative agency to decide which landmarks to features and celebrities to choose?
True and highlighted by the fact that the CEO is credited as copywriter – above. Another line item with another cost no doubt.
not everything has to be a quirky tiktok
No agency better than The Monkeys at enhancing iconic ideas. Building on foundations that have been laid and confident enough to keeps brands consistent over time.
For the re-recording of an ad from decades ago.
less than the sum of its parts
Made me emotional, loved it.
Brilliant.
This was Justin Drape’s baby. Credit where credit is due. He did all the heavy lifting and travelling. It was shot before Covid hit.
Amazing to see how many people have jumped on the credits even though they were years away from calling the Monkeys home.
Says a lot about them.
Regardless, the ad is amazing.
Not one new thought or original scene.
As my old teacher Mrs McTavish used to write on every report card ‘must try harder’.
Crying. Exactly what I want and need to see from this brand right now.
Some pretty contrasting comments here. And you’re all right. Stunning pictures, stunningly dull.
What is it about this piece that would want to make people ‘jump’ on the credits?
@Box Ticked. Yours is the best comment – so accurate!
But couldn’t. A beautifully handled update, full of truly inspired details. But it does say a bit about us as a country that our national carrier is still riffing on an execution from the Hawke, Hughes and Hoges era…
This “idea” wasn’t even written by an Australian agency. But by Allen&Dorward. A US agency co opted by MojoMDA.
Interestingly that brilliant Contrarian Bob Hoffman penned this idea.
So this is a franchise idea that no agency should own…until it truly reimagines it. And this doesn’t. But it’s nice.
I’m not sure if I like or not. It came across a bit try hard with some nice pics.
Definitely big on the production.
Sounds you live quite a sad life if you get that emotional over an advert we’ve seen several times already
@disappointed. What’s that old adage? Those that can’t, teach?
Doesn’t have to be new, or original to be good. Just ask VB (after they leant their lesson). Or the TAC.
It’s really well shoot, but so expected. It feels Qantas because it borrows from Ads of the past -The landscapes the celebrity appearance and morose music. In the end it all feels a little bit dull & worthy.
Think I’ll fly Emirates.
Love this! Well done to all involved.
Open on Uluru, then roo, roo & roo.
Cut to an Indigenous person.
But first to sing, is a white air hostess.
Cringe.
If you didn’t like this, then honestly I don’t know what’s left for you. An incredible piece. Brilliant work.
Troye Sivan did the whole song. That would’ve been incredible.
70 lines of credit and not even one mention of Peter Allen.
Everyone else in the world will bloody love it!
Cinematography is a 10/10
I wanted to hate this. But wow. Beautifully handled. Up there with the best work The Monkeys have ever done. Bravo.
Iconic.
Stunning Barb! WOW
What, everyone else in the world will love an ad featuring Troye Sivan and Adam Goodes?
Nice to see so many white people. FFS Aussie. Get with the god damn times.
So good it hurts!
Can you imagine the feels watching this on a plane returning home! What was the budget??? Jealous. Well done.
That’s how you open a film! Insane.
Qantas shares in the green, breaking out on the daily chart and 4 hour since the release of this campaign! Amazing!
No one in this press release was claiming it was a new idea were they, what’s all the fuss about? I’m sure it’s no easy task refreshing such an iconic platform with such elegance, so well done team Monkeys. I just wish one of the clever agency folk (or the client team) could have pushed the casting brief a touch further than blonde headed caucasians and First Nations faces. Over 2 million Indian, Chinese, Greek, Pacific Island and Vietnamese people now call Australia home. I’m sure those communities would love to see themselves in the latest ‘Spirit of Australia’ ad.
Well you’re right about one thing, it is up there with the Monkeys best work.
After a 2 year pandemic and the shut down of global travel – could there not have been an original thought or creative expression for our Australian carrier ? A long list of credits and no mention of Peter Allen. Opportunity lost.
Loved loved loved. Great work to all involved.
Iconic Aussie campaign brought to life by iconic Aussie agencies. Doesn’t matter who ultimately bought them, they too all started up with the spirit of Australia. This is the chicken soup we’ve been dying for. It’s just lovely and warm and still Makes me proud.
Honestly what is wrong with people so critical all the time? And so many awesome ads struck down by jealous people. Life is too short to criticise people.
Beautifully made. Well done to all involved.
I’m currently living in the US and this is being shared on several Aussie expat facebook groups as the moment. While it could be argued that it may not be groundbreaking in its originality, after being restricted from flying home for a couple years due to COVID, no one on these expat pages is talking about that. All that is being said is how beautiful the campaign is and how it has reminded them of how much they miss home.
Exactly what you said.
I’m falling asleep looking at the photographs.
It’s beautifully composed, but the mix just doesn’t translate at all. There are points when I can’t even understand the vocals. Nothing against the composition or the music, it just sounds like it’s been mixed in a bedroom.
I thought Qantas didn’t have any money? This looks very expensive.
This felt weirdly dated and tired. It delivered nothing new from the old ones and felt like a rehash. The entire thing felt forced and missed the zeitgeist entirely. And the edit was just the ship song concept. 4/10.
Love the cast, visuals, music, performances, editing, all so so well put together. The flying roo is back!
ROFL, your rating is such a valuable contribution to this thread, thank you. Where would we be without such insight?
Nothing new. Also nothing even remotely topical apart from the line at the end.
Feels like indulgent waste of cash that could have been better spent on staff or subsidizing what is surely about to be a very expensive time to fly.
Assuming you’re banking on that getting shared an awful lot so that it’s watched by anyone you haven’t already strapped to an seat and forced to consume before pointing out the emergency exits.
Not sure I can work out why this wasn’t killed in one of the first 5 or 6 meetings.
The end line nails it, got a little teary. Well done. And just booked a ticket!
I agree with Old Tom. This is stellar shepherding of an iconic brand. ‘Safe hands’ on this one Monkeys.
A lot of love about this.
If this was in the edit suite from 2years ago then why did they run a pitch for the international resumption and waste all those agency’s time?
This sort of time wasting, dishonest crap is why so many agency staffers don’t give a fuck about clients, because they don’t give a fuck about agency folk.
Thanks for nothing,
35 people who worked evening and weekends for no reason
Feels like paint by numbers creative.
Worst work I’ve seen in a while. What a waste of money… adding to the clutter unfortunately.
This was originally shot to celebrate the Qantas 150 years or some garbage like that. Then covid hit – and it was inappropriate to run it given travel was banned. And here we are with a set of beautiful yet incredibly banal pictures that we had to rehash into a new campaign idea. Whatever. It’s trope after trope on a big budget. There’s so much more to Australian First Nation culture than Bangarra!!!!! For gods sake the creatives need to get out more. This is wallpaper. And please stop hiring the same commercial suppliers and production companies who bring nothing new to these briefs. It’s astonishing how stale this industry has become.
f*ck me, I hadn’t heard about that but if that is the case then Qantas should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.
More fool you for working weekends. Agencies need to collectively put a stop to this despicable practice for all our sakes.
Children Choirs ✓
Landscape B-roll✓
Couple of celebrities✓
Loved ones getting emotional ✓
Nod to the Indigenous Australia✓
Job Done!
This gave my husband and I goosebumps. Bravo to all involved.
Must be the blind leading the blind, uninspiring high paid creative officers should stop banking on their wanky positions and do some good work or gtfo. The world can be better without ya, really. Even Australia.
Are precisely the people who shouldn’t be working on a brief like this. Oh, and well done Monkeys. Iconic spot.
I LOVE this.
Beautiful and exceptionally well executed.
Why change something that works so well.
Spectacular. How can I vote this ad for PM?
Good but could have been great. Australia is home to a lot of people from different ethnicities which have also been separated from their loved ones here and overseas. Qantas could have done a better job at showcasing diversity and those diversities coming home or being stuck overseas longing to come home. This felt like a very expensive PR stunt by having celeb presence on screen and showed very little of our beautiful landscape and its diverse real people.
… seen that choir and landscape combo for an airline before??
Oh yeah. Everywhere.
Good thing Australians only read their own news 😂
Because it’s our job to create original work that stands out, not more of the same.
What a glorious ad. Qantas does it again after all these years.