British Airways takes safety to a whole new level in their new campaign. In this article, we’ll review this adverts memorability, effectiveness, style, humor and overall execution. Have a look throughout notes and scores to see if you feel the same way about this all-star cast concept.
Memorability – 8 / 10
This ad is actually used as a piece of informative content for all passengers, so it’s very dialogue heavy. A host of the UK’s most famous and decorated celebrities are brought in to help deliver the safety message. This gives the commercial a lot of grandeur and presence. The comedic value from the lead character is high quality and at no times in the clip did we feel the humor dip below par. A well-conceived idea that will have people talking without question.
Effectiveness – 8 / 10
A lot of effort has gone into ensuring the cast is filled with stars that appeal to British Airways prime target audience of the middle-class family. As you can see, no expense has been spared to achieve actors and models that will all be easy to recognize by mothers and fathers in the family life stage. The humor is very much in line with this notion. The core themes portrayed include modesty, charm, having a laugh and doing things the right way.
Style – 8 / 10
The ad has a very plain and elegant backdrop that most would associate with glamour – the pure white photo room. This theme gives the visuals a crisp and refreshing feel. None of the secondary characters are lively or upbeat. This allows the antics of the main characters to stand out with greater impact. The stars are all playing very “normal” non-bubbly versions of themselves which give the content a convincing level of integrity.
Heart or Humor – 7 / 10
All the humor stems from Mr G. He is vibrant, dominates the majority of the dialogue and delivers all gags. His jokes are funny enough to meet the expectations of those that know him from his show “people just do nothing”, while time enough to remain perfectly in line with the ideals of the brand. While no part of the ad can be fairly labeled boring, we are a little disappointed in the fact that there is no outstanding “laugh out loud” moments. We understand that the clip has a practical purpose as well as being an advertisement, but most would expect a brand of this caliber to at least feature a script with a bit more edge. They’ve played safe here. No edge, just mild humor, and every objective just-about ticked.
Execution – 8 / 10
Great production value, a minimalist scene, and a catchy script. The ad will be talked about for its sheer star quality and unique approach. Comic relief is known for its “tongue-in-cheek” brand of humor, but we still wish BA would have done a little more to stand out from the crowd and wow audiences with something more punchy. Still, it’s a great example of a brand using a good cause to successfully establish a great piece of awareness advertising.
