Friendly Australians from all walks of life take centre stage in Qantas’ stunning new safety video
Friendly Australians and stunning destinations are the stars of a new Qantas safety video that showcases Australia as an amazing place to visit.
Due to screen on hundreds of Qantas flights a day to a global audience of almost 30 million people a year, the short video features Australians from all walks of life talking passengers through the on-board safety instructions against the backdrop of locations across the country.
While Qantas did not work with a traditional agency, Josh Whiteman is a director, creative partner and copywriter with years of experience in agencies such as Publicis London, Ogilvy and Host. Whiteman, together with former Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne creative Josh Robbins and +Ape developed the script in collaboration with the executive producer, Jason Byrne.
With an executive producer, director and one Qantas project manager, the team was able to move through a complicated process seamlessly and went quickly from script approval to shooting.
Bruce Heald, creative director and composer from Sydney based music production company Noise International, did the musical score.
The scenarios featured in the video include:
· An oxygen mask demonstration at the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart;
· A life-jacket demonstration at Bondi Icebergs;
· A brace position demonstration during a yoga class on Hamilton Island;
· Counting rows to the exit on a Yarra Valley winery;
· An emergency slide demonstration at Josephine Falls in Queensland; and
· A no smoking reminder on Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain, among others.
The video will be introduced across Qantas’ domestic and international fleet from February, as well as featuring on the airline’s online channels. While the video is first and foremost a safety communication, it will also form the basis of a new tourism campaign.
Qantas and Tourism Australia will work together over the next 12 months to promote the locations featured and maximise the benefits for local tourism operators. In particular, Tourism Australia will lend its social media marketing power, helping the video reach millions of people globally.
The campaign comes at a time when tourism is growing at the fastest rate since the Sydney Olympics, setting new records for visitor numbers and spending, with huge potential growth to come.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the video was a unique platform to promote the local tourism industry and capture the confident-but-relaxed Aussie personality that visitors tend to fall in love with.
Says Joyce: “We’ve experimented with different settings for our safety videos over the years, but this time we saw an opportunity to celebrate Australia itself.
“The result is something that we believe is really special and powerful, but warm, funny and down to earth at the same time, because it’s about everyday Australians.
“We’re confident that it’s going grab people’s attention and get them focused on the safety information that every Qantas customer needs to know.
“It’s a video that people can really connect with, and there’s an opportunity to expand its reach by sharing it online and through social media – giving it a dual purpose as promotion for Australian tourism.
“Qantas has always been the biggest private sector supporter of Australian tourism and we’re delighted to be working with Tourism Australia on the social media campaign that goes with the new video.
“With the headwind of a lower dollar we have the potential to create a new tourism boom in this country. I’m proud that Qantas is leading the way, not just through our global marketing efforts but by adding flights and seats and expanding our partnerships with the world’s biggest airlines.”
Qantas’ contribution to tourism promotion includes marketing partnerships worth more than $80 million with state and territory marketing agencies and extensive direct Qantas advertising and owned media activity across its global network. A recent Deloitte Access Economics report found that, in 2014/15 the Qantas Group facilitated $9.5 billion in tourism expenditure in Australia, or one in every nine dollars spent, supporting 105,000 jobs across the country.
Director: Josh Whiteman
Executive Producer: Jason Byrne
Production Company: +Ape
Creatives: Josh Whiteman, Josh Robbins and Paul Chappell
Line Producer: Darren McFarlane
Production Coordinator: Bree Carter
Production Coordinator: Alexandra Sturman
1st AD: Cameron Watt
DOP: Marin Johnson
1st AC: Matt Jenkins
EPK: Aaron Farrugia
EPK: Will Storr
Gaffer/Grip: Peter Stockley
Production Designer: Otello Stolfo
Art Director: Otello Stolfo
Post Production: The Butchery & Heckler
Editor: Rohan Zerna
Hair, Make Up, Wardrobe: Natalie Burley
Sound Recordist: Keith Bottomley
Music Director, Composer: Bruce Heald
Sound Design: Kathleen Burrows + Noise International
Aerial photography: Heliguy
Casting: Chameleon Casting
35 Comments
Brilliant work from all involved. How is it that a bunch of people talking about safety gave me more of a smile than the new Oz Tourism spot? Love it.
Much more interesting than the TA ad. Nice.
I snoozed off a bit and I cringed and I wondered why? Is this the vanillia version to answer Air New Zealands MIB? Yawn, sorry, but it’s a nothing…..
Computer says no. You’re trying too hard,Qantas
If I have to sit through that every flight oh my
As far as humourless copies of longstanding air new zealand campaigns go…not bad. If you can’t make it original, make it long I suppose.
“..warm, funny and down to earth???” Are we watching the same film? It’s dull, not entertaining and therefore not shareable. A huge investment for so little gain. Missed opportunity.
This is a great piece of brand work for Qantas on a very tough brief.
Looks like the minions of the agencies who pitched it and failed to win the work are now lining up to throw stones but the public will love this. And anyone comparing this to Air New Zealand’s fantastic safety vids clearly don’t understand brand strategy.
Great stuff Qantas!
i love love love this. and i fly a lot!
Well, well, well, well, well, well, ummmmm so boring………… how many valiums were the cast on? Makes me want to sleep and actually I couldnt watch it all because I got so bored!
Why are airlines putting so much money and effort into safety videos?
and good.
@Are those grapes sour said:
‘And anyone comparing this to Air New Zealand’s fantastic safety vids clearly don’t understand brand strategy.’
Oh really?
Makes you think how good the air new zealand ones are.
Go Qantas!
Lost count of how many kiwi accents I’m hearing on this so-called ‘Spirit of Australia’ spot.
Anyone hazard a number?
Have we invaded New Zealand yet and taken all their truckies, salt-lake motorbike riders and yoga trainers? If so who is left across the ditch?
It’s very, very long.
It’s a shame as it is all there it’s just bastard long.You could 2.5 mins out of this and it would have far more punch. I heard Allan Joyce this morning saying as so many people were on their iPads and phones during the safety message they needed something really different and punchy to catch their attention. This I am afraid does neither. People will look up for a minute then return to their devices me thinks.
LOL….like really LOL
LMFAO
This is actually cool. Different kind of safety videos. Very Entertaining.
Nice work!
Did they pitch this?
Was this the winning idea?
My god this industry is in a shambles.
Or is this not from an advertising agency – which would make sense – so it was a pitch between content companies?
Tad long, but still a million times better and more effective than the latest TA ad.
Who the fuck cares about the colour blue?
Tad long, but still a million times better and more effective than the latest TA ad.
Who the fuck cares about the colour blue?
Passengers will become very bored very quickly.
The most annoying thing after a late departure, feeling as if you’re driving rather than flying with the distance traveled on the tarmac before taking off from sydney, the interruptions of inflight announcements especially when the pilot comes on to tell you your already late flight is now in a holding pattern before your destination is the god dam safety announcements as taxing out.
We need them short and to the point rather than the horrible static sound as the flick between things.
Was it another way to ensure you never get to see the end of the movie you’ve started, that is you are fortunate enough to have a screen for choice.
Love it and the general public will love it, and that’s all that matters (it’s a safety video for f#ck sake!) Well done team! The rest of you go crack an actual idea.
Idiots complaining it’s long – have you ever been on a plane? It’s a compulsory safety video which are always long, not an ad. Also, people saying yawn have missed the genius in this and it is embarrassing our industry is full of people who have no idea. No wonder clients don’t trust us.
This is lovely. We always tell clients to bring their brand to life at every touch point and Qantas have done just that.
This is a first.
I bet other airlines will follow.
What a brilliant idea – well done.
Amazing work! Transported me to many wonderful places. Beautifully shot! I get why this would work on an airplane – the length of video isn’t meant for advertisement but for communicating the safety message it does the job!!!! Better than watching the attendants demonstrating it in-flight.
The general public don’t like it if you read the comments on the smh
Sitting on a plane…
Safety video starts…
Seen it all before…
Then this plays.
Does it capture your attention?
Yep.
Job done.
Well done Mr Whiteman…
SMH?! Really?! Bwahahahah!
I agree with your comments
I do think though if you miss your take off time sitting on a runway waiting for an extra long safety video to play out then that’s a different story.
Also the length speaks to frequent travellers – the longer it is the more annoying it becomes over time.
and lastly – what is going on at Qantas? One minute its sad coming home ads then it’s tourism Australia type stuff and then I just saw a billboard shot overhead for Frequent Flyer – they don’t have a very consistent brand voice – that last comment is just an observation and no way a slight on this work btw.
Would be interesting to see a result of an experiment on recall of this vs more straight forward functional communication.
My guess is this is a short term branding thing, not a replacement for actual safety messaging over the longer term…
Would be interesting to see a result of an experiment on recall of this vs more straight forward functional communication.
My guess is this is a short term branding thing, not a replacement for actual safety messaging over the longer term…
I love this! Amazing work! Transported me to many wonderful places. Beautifully shot! I get why this would work on an airplane – the length of video isn’t meant for advertisement but for communicating the safety message it does the job!!!! Better than watching the attendants demonstrating it in-flight.
Wow this is a shocker. Embarrising as an Aussie. Was there not an agency involved due to $$$?