Sydney Airport campaign reminds Sydney-siders ‘Life Takes Off When You Do’ via Common Ventures
In a perfect storm of economic anxiety and global jitters, how do you tell a nation it’s time to fly? ‘Life takes off when you do,’ is the captivating new campaign for Sydney Airport created by Common Ventures. The initiative aims to re-ignite Sydneysiders’ inherent love for international travel, to rekindle this travel mojo by tapping into the unique anticipation and memories of going abroad.
“The campaign aims to show a key travel moment: that moment right before or after take off and landing, when you look out the window and catch a glimpse of the planes’ shadow gliding across the ocean or glittering landscape below,” says Jane Burhop, Executive Creative Director at Common Ventures. “This simple visual acts to ignite that feeling of excitement and wonder that comes with arriving in a new place.”
Says Shane Hodges, General Manager Strategic Aviation Development: “This campaign is designed to reignite the excitement of travel, starting with the moment you begin planning your trip, and we’re extremely proud that in that journey, Sydney Airport as Australia’s premier international gateway, plays a key role in making it all happen.”
To bring this concept to life, Common Ventures collaborated with Paris-based artist Anomaly and production company Watch Out. The campaign features stunning static and motion visuals, each telling a story of travel dreams on the cusp of realisation, evoking wonder and the thrill of arrival. The distinctive sound design shuns traditional voice-overs and music, instead leaning into authentic location and plane cues to awaken positive travel associations.
“Booking travel is driven by both new experiences and nostalgia,” says Alex Don, Client Lead at Common Ventures. “With ‘Life Takes Off’, the balance of recognisable travel cues with multiple destinations creates a canvas for people to project their own ideal travel experiences.”
Launched mid-May 2025, the campaign is rolling out across OOH, BVOD, digital, social and trade channels.
Sydney Airport has named Kayak as its preferred conversion partner, with Sydneysiders able to book journeys now at: https://www.kayak.com.au/sydney-airport
Client: Sydney Airport
General Manager, Strategic Aviation Development – Shane Hodges
Head of Aviation Partnerships – Christina Werkstetter
Senior Manager, Aviation Marketing & Tourism Development – Heather Young
Aviation Marketing Specialist – Ryan Archibald
Senior Manager Media, Brand & Communications – Fiona Wood
Creative Agency: Common Ventures
Production company: Watch Out (Paris)
Artist – Anomaly
Agent / Producer – Anne Lecerf
Producer – Virginie Couturier
Production Coordinator – Margaux Thieblin
Motion Designer – Guillaume Colas
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