A viral ad for Air NZ
January 30th, 2009 at 10:00 am by David FarrarThis is an ad, but it is a short little clip that pokes fun at all the little tricks used to sell you a seat on a budget airline. Enjoy.
24 Responses to “A viral ad for Air NZ”
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January 30th, 2009 at 10:48 am
It’s a very interesting move for NZ advertising. Unconstrained by the traditional 30 second slot on radio and TV, better stories can be developed to suck viewers in. By giving it a distinct local twang in the humour department, the story sinks in better than, say, the voiced over American gaiety of 90 percent on TV. Good viral marketing that reframes how other media use their advertising. Now that’s art, mate. This bodes well for the NZ comedy circuit too. Well done.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 10:54 am
They missed out the dash for the seats. Then there is the last flight of the day that seems to always be delayed for whatever reason as
they allow no room for any unexpected delays.
and the complete lack of facilities in the often ex-military airports that the cheap carriers use.
We flew with Lufthansa around Germany last week.
Half the price of BA, and as punctual as you would expect.
Polite, attentive aircrew and a sensible seat pitch.
Ryanair has got be be experienced. No room for a drop down table and magazine holder.
They have glued the safety instructions on the seat backs.
I can relate to all of the skit.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Great joke from Air New Zealand.
Try travelling from Melbourne to Wellington, and avoid either departing at 6am (arrive at airport at 4am), or arriving into Wellington at midnight.
No more special meals on Air NZ (unlike Qantas). Its normal or vege, and that’s it.
Not to mention that they killed Freedom Air to Palmerston North which was very handy if you had relatives in the area.
And hows Air NZ’s maintenance. Last year when we flew Air NZ, the plane we would have flown out of Melbourne never arrived from Wellington, so they flew us to Auckland. We stayed a couple of days then had our complimentary flight south. We had planned an internal flight during our stay, but no longer needed it, saving us $700 in fares from these Schmucks.
I have a wedding in March (in Rarotonga) that I have to leave the wife & kids behind because of the unfriendly flying hours. Again – talk about lost revenue from Air NZ …
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Pretty funny, but a bit rich for a bunch of commies who only exist because the taxpayer bailed them out of the shit. Didn’t they too once run one of those “budget” airlines? It was called ‘Freedom Air’, and was a bunch of the worst kind of rip off merchants, and set up primarily (IMHO) to force Ewen Wilson (?) out of business. I fly Air NZ only when I’m forced to.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Reminds me of this — what if airlines sold paint?
Vote:http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=airlinepaint.txt
January 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
NZ budget airlines have a lot of work to be half as good as some of the European budget airlines….and to cut down on prices.
The ladies at the Standard are saying you’re being paid off by Air NZ and it’s some big business conspiracy :>
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
The ladies at the Standard are saying you’re being paid off by Air NZ and it’s some big business conspiracy
Idiot/Savant has commented in The Standard thread:
Assuming DPF was offered the same deal but accepted, The Standard were sort of right in that DPF is being paid to blog the ad and hasn’t disclosed it. Is this a big deal? Meh. I tend to side with I/S, and consider ad campaigns like this pretty contemptible. DPF obviously doesn’t feel the same way though – and it is his blog.
This also strikes me as a natural reaction by the advertising companies to all the ad-blocking software used by people like me.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
When David says “This is an ad”, and labels the post “A viral ad” – don’t you think that is disclosing it?
To David’s credit, he hasn’t deleted comments like mine that are critical of the sponsor.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
The ladies at the standard would say anything to get people to read their demented rantings.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Cracker advert – ’tis funny funny funny. I had a similar experience trying to get a quote for a rental car recently – who’d of thought there were so many hidden fees and taxes.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Ummm, what is the title and tag for this post? I think David is honest about it being advertising, and after all, reading the rest of the blog is free. DPF could divert his blogging energies elsewhere and make more money.
Plus it is reasonably entertaining and you don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
The Standard were sort of right in that DPF is being paid to blog the ad and hasn’t disclosed it
When David says “This is an ad”, and labels the post “A viral ad” – don’t you think that is disclosing it?
No. It discloses that the material is an ad but not that DPF is getting paid to blog it, which is the whole point of the discussion.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Hmm .. I see your point. But when the “Today show” or “Good morning” show or whatever it’s called in NZ right now place an advertorial as part of they scheduled content the by-line says “ADVERTISEMENT” not “We are getting paid for this”
Also I think the “Sponsored Video” tagline was a bit of a clue.
BTW – they don’t have to display the by-line in Australia for the advertorials …
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Maybe I’m just jealous because no one’s asked me to sell out yet. Like I said, I don’t think this is a very big deal.
But DPF has been very critical of The Standard, accusing them of being paid to blog (by Labour and the Unions) and being circumspect about it. It seems like a fair call for them to throw this back at him.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I’m jealous too, and I think there is a significant difference between the Standard and this blog, in that this blog is an individuals opinion piece as opposed to objective (ie not taking sides) hard news.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
If this is meant to be attacking the only “Saverjet” airline in New Zealand (Pacific Blue?) then it is pretty hollow.
I’ve checked out Air NZ, Qantas and Pacific Blue prices every time I’ve flown domestic in the last 3 years. And PB has been the winner every time. Cheaper seats (I don’t know what this “the real price” they keep on about is), more leg room, and hotter chicks bringing you your drink.
It is a good ad, if you see these ads as an art form, but it does not reflect the NZ reality in my experience.
PS: Yeah, Baiter! They’re all COMMIES! BOO the commies! Straight to what really matters, as always.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
It looks like they might be targeting the trans-Tasman competition, e.g. Jetstar as well as Pacific Blue.
In Australia they also have AirAsia and Tiger Air now … the rules are getting really cut-throat, e.g. you can’t bring your own food on the plane, you pay for all baggage, you must checkin at least 45 mins before or else buy another seat.
As the airline staff are now saying – hate the game, not the players.
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
So how much was DPF paid?
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Glutaemus Maximus,,
so Germans are efficient, on time and a well oiled machine.
The problem is when they panic they all do it at once. 50,000 surrender at a time!
Vote:January 30th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Don’t think the French, British, Russians, Polish, Italians ad infinitum have proven to be much different through time.
Zee Germans are consistent.
They are good at planning.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 2:32 am
I guess DPF will need to write in big thick red letters every time when he puts on a link that may or may not mean he gets a couple pennies per click, as you all seem so interested in what goes on with his blog. The Standard can’t even be honest about who they are, where they work or their links to the Labour Party.~
And then they got precious when I called them ladies…. I did ladies a disservice, they are stroppy little girls. Although I will now upset the Hand Mirror by saying that won’t I?
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 3:28 am
Socialists are guilt free of any turpitude.
They can steal wine, tape private conversations in private dinner parties, rip down campaign posters, stitch up police drivers, fake signatures on other artists work, deny they are in the direct employ of political, or labour unions.
Sanctimonious, idealistic, unrealistic, and a drain on resource.
Every single pink blogger on the Standard is very precious. They think that they are chocolate, and everybody wants a lick!!
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 6:29 am
I find those banner ads for retarded Public Address writers a touch annoying.
Whatever pays the bill in a free market I guess. Not everyone has open access to Parliamentary Services bank accounts like the VDS did in the bad old days pre 8 November 2008.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 11:14 am
If you want to see advertising dubiously mixed into content, you can’t go past talkback radio. They will go seamlessly from talking to the genuine nutters who phone in, to running a cheesy scripted conversation with a rep from some bogus health product company or dodgy investment plan. The only indication that they’re switching to advertising is the phrase “on the phoneout line” which sounds like some inoccuous feature of their phone switchboard…
Vote:The station makes a great deal of wind about being the people’s friend, on the side of the ordinary battlers and strugglers, and yet they have no qualms whatsoever about delivering their audience of gullible morons directly into the talons of any scam that’s preparaed to pay for advertising. Quack health products, Investment Phone Cards, queensland timeshares, you name it.