Virgin Australia's latest TV commercial has hit the airwaves, and we're keen to know what you think.
The stylish, very non-airline and almost entirely plane-free spot comes almost two full years since Virgin's last blast in a similar vein – an upbeat number with Aussie vocalist Megan Washington stylishly crooning the Gershwin's swinging jazz standard S'Wonderful, which you can recap below.
This new ad comes as Virgin Australia gears up for a renewed assault on Qantas through its 'Vision 2017' program, which includes launching a slick new business class seat for domestic and international flights, adding trans-Tasman business class, rolling out new lounges with better meals, revving up its Velocity Frequent Flyer scheme and increasing its share of Australia's business and government travel market.
So now that you've seen the ad, what's your say? Love it, like it, can't wait to see the end of it? Share your thoughts below!
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Very targeted at a single gender, albeit well produced, does look like it belongs in the 80s.
Do love the cameo of the guy in hi-vis
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2012
Total posts 233
I really loved Virgin's last ad but this one feels a little lacklustre in comparison. It's not that bad but you can't even tell what it's for until the end, which is about the best bit. It doesn't feel like it resonates with the customer as much, they used the stewardesses in the last ad too but it was done in conjunction with product offering and came together as a whole much better. Just my opinion obviously, interesting to see how it pans out
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
I agree with you FrequentFlyer, the last ad was better. It would have been preferable to delay a new ad campaign until after VA's new seating reveal had happened, and then have shot an ad that included images of the new seating.
It's great to glam style in these ads, but don't forget to tell punters about the product too. After all, airline ads shouldn't be about how exciting it is to be a staff member (Qantas did this too), but why it's great to be a customer!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jan 2013
Total posts 65
Not really sure what this ad is saying. Most people just fly from A to B in economy so - really - why can't they just tell it like it is? It's not exciting, it's not glamerous and it's not exclusive.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
Advertising isn't designed to tell it like it is. Advertising is for telling it better than it is.
If you spend millions of bucks buying prime-time advertising space only to tell it like it is, you've just wasted millions of bucks. People already know how it is. The expensive ad is supposed to drive how it is out of their brains and replace it with a glamourised image of something better.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Virgin's usual ethos shining through, still a budget airline trying to act like a full service carrier and it shows in the ad
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 352
I don't get it. Yes the ad looks a bit 'cool', but it doesn't suggest why I should fly Virgin instead of Qantas, unless Virgin thinks that pretty stylish cabin crew is what attracts me? Because I can't see that they are promoting anything else here.
It's not about the journey, it's not about getting me to my destination, it's not about the price of the airfare or the value of the airfare or the inflight service or any part of the 'Virgin experience'. It just seems to say "We're cool and flying is cool." Well I'm sorry but that's not enough, Virgin.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
It's a bit like their previous ad but with less airplane and more people. John Borghetti has said he is chasing more business travel and wants to get more of Qantas market so why doesn't Virgin do an ad addressing this? Show John Borghetti saying that Virgin wants your business, talking about lounge investment and showing clips of the lounges, talking up the crew and the fleet and the routes and the network and the alliances and the frequent flyer scheme. A series of adverts which promote this are going to make more of a difference than just more shots of pretty 'hosties' with some pretty planes at the end.
12 Aug 2014
Total posts 17
Very similar to that scene from the Leonaro DiCaprio/ Tom Hanks film Catch Me If You Can
13 Mar 2014
Total posts 7
Ummm.... yeah not a fan of this.
Show me the product... J Class, Economy and Lounge, not the crew and planes all lined up I think all of Australia has figured out who VA is.
Show me the new menu in the Lounge along with Business and the free snacks on domestic. Morden, sexy with the corporate intent.
Virgin come on... muscle up on your adds. Virgin is spose to be morden not retro.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
Modern is retro! The present sucks so we're going back to the past when things were cooler. Suits me.
An astonishing number of people seem to think the ad should be a factual presentation of the advantages of the product. Advertising isn't like that, and hasn't been for a very long time. They're selling a feeling, not a product.
They can't sell the product, it's not much different to the competition as far as the vast majority of the passengers are concerned. They can't sell the destination, because the destinations are the same as the competition's. All they can sell is the way they think flying Virgin should make you feel.
Virgin Australia - Platinum
21 Dec 2012
Total posts 86
Agreed Hugo, most dicerning business travellers or those flying J or in lounges already visit sites like this and keep them selves up to date with whats happening in the industry. The ad is about the feeling and personally I thought it felt good.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Sep 2014
Total posts 21
Yes but a TV commercial is aimed at the public, not discerning business travellers who log in here.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 1024
I think they have hit the mark on both types of traveller, it's a good ad.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
While I agree with you Hugo that it's a growing trend in advertising to sell the image (the sizzle) rather than the product (the steak) - indeed it's been a long trend in airline advertising (BA's bringing you home, Qantas' Spirit campaigns) - I think relying on that too much is challenging at a time when cynicism of spin is at an all-time high. Consumers are more aware advertisers are trying to emotionally manipulate them now, so when it's only image being put front and centre, BS detectors tend to go off. I think the balance of the previous VA ad, between sizzle/steak, was more effective (certainly it's easier to recall, despite having seen both multiple times).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
28 Jul 2013
Total posts 81
I am a bit in the camp of - needs improvement. Like other comments here - I am keen to see more of the 'experience' - which is more important to me - rather than a tight bun in a hairstyle at the end of the advertisement.
I would have liked to see a visual run through of the check-in experience, the lounge access, breeze boarding, sample of the lounge menu, the comfort of business class seats, new planes?
QF Plat
14 Jul 2014
Total posts 31
Funny part about this is everyone is either bagging it, loving it,but most importantly talking about it. The marketing CEOs I've spoken to in the last couple of days compare it to the Qantas Ad, what Qantas Ad?
13 Mar 2014
Total posts 7
The QF A380 experience add, thats what Im talking about!!!
Experience the award-winning QANTAS A380 is on youtube. Thats how a add should be done when promoting their brand.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Jan 2014
Total posts 21
Pretty lame. Unlike the Singapore Girl ads (some didn't have the plane in it either) you don't even get a sense of the product nor the destinations. When you live in Sydney and watch a whole bunch of Sydney scenes (see them everyday), it doesn't really drive you to go somewhere else.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
25 Jul 2013
Total posts 72
Soooo over the top! If it was me I would have (a) used an Australian musician and (b) featured a scene in a glamorous Virgin aircraft and maybe the Sydney lounge! (D'uh!)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2014
Total posts 132
I think its crap! Has very little to do with the airline at all...
I would be asking for my money back whoever produced and directed that, but clearly someone signed the cheque :)
25 Jun 2013
Total posts 43
Would be good to see a ad(from any airline),where the crew are actually looking after economy passengers, after all there are only limited business class seats on a plane and I'm usually down the back..I want to be looked after too and thanked for my patronage.yes it's all about me
09 Sep 2014
Total posts 1
I think it's very Virgin Australia, very stylish and very classy. I love how they build their brand/image around their employees, as opposed to other airlines that only advertise the price and 'value' of their fares. It's cleverly marketed at high-flyers who want a quality product when they travel IMO
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Classy??? If you say so
22 Jul 2011
Total posts 95
I think the whole attractive female flight attendant angle has been way overdone. And it verges on sexist. Virgin has a lot more going for it to resort to that tactic.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Jun 2013
Total posts 28
Sexist but also quite Meh! I'm sick to death of seeing ads for airlines promoting their female cabin crew. Seriously, what decade are we in? It's irrellevant what sex the crew member is but for some reason we still have this hangover from the mysoginistic (sp?) Richard Branson days that we have to use females to make our airline look attractive. Just advertise your airline for what it does and use people equally.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2014
Total posts 1
Great Ad, especially with the Triumph TR6 being driven by the young lady.
The TR6 was always considered very much a Macho machine, so good on you Virgin.
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