Whoop whoop
September 21st, 2010 at 2:00 pm by David FarrarThe Press reports:
Two daughters of a woman who died in the Mt Erebus disaster have rejected claims that Air New Zealand’s use of “whoop whoop” in advertising is insensitive.
There was a “whoop whoop” warning from a ground-proximity system just before an Air New Zealand DC-10 crashed into Antarctica’s Mt Erebus in 1979, killing 257 people.
A new Air New Zealand domestic-fare campaign uses “whoop whoop!” at the bottom of an advertisement, below the words “Let’s party like it’s $19.99″.
The advertisement has prompted a woman who lost her father in the crash to label the airline’s use of the phrase as insensitive.
“It definitely tugs at the heartstrings,” Jayne Holtham said. “The second you say that, you remember the last few seconds of the flight.”
Holtham’s father, Bryan, died in the air disaster.
“It is pretty s… marketing, obviously they’re not even thinking about that,” she said.
However, Susan O’Rourke, whose mother Marlene Hansen was a passenger on the flight, said the phrase did not upset her.
“It’s commonly used. I have even used it on my Facebook page, so I’ve got no issues with it,” she said.
“It’s used all over the world by many different people, especially younger ones.”
O’Rourke’s sister, Melanie Fishburn, said she was not worried by the phrase.
However, the sisters said they understood why some relatives might be upset.
I think 31 years after Erebus, it is fair enough to use the expression “whoop whoop” and not have it seen as associated with that crash.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:07 pm
What are the odds that Air NZ will cave to the criticism? After all, to give offense to anyone, no matter how slight or unintentional that offence is, is a hanging crime in PC New Zealand.
Its long past time this whole damn “offensive” lark was consigned to the dustbin of history along with so many other Progressive ideas.
How did the expectation that we should go through life and not ever be offended, or the expectation that we should never do or say anything that might be offensive to anyone else, ever gain respectability? It is madness, and in some instances, demands restrictions on freedom of expression that no civilised people should accept.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:13 pm
I totally agree with Redbaiter. If Air NZ want to look like dicks (after all, “yay”, “hell yes”, “yee ha” or any other asinine phrase would have done just as well) then they ought to be allowed to do so. Just as anyone offended has the right to fly with a competitor.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:15 pm
It’s a bit thoughtless to run the ad pretty much on the day the Perpignan crash report was released though. If there is a phrase an airline should avoid in marketing, it should be this one. I do have a bit of an aviation background though, unlike the Air New Zealand marketing department apparently.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:18 pm
“obviously they’re not even thinking about that,” she said.” – and she is right, they’re not even thinking about that, she seems to be the only one who was.
Vote:Not that I give a damn.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Ho ho, oh wait…
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:18 pm
I asked myself when I read this
1. Did the media search around to find someone that was offended
or
2. Did Jayne contact the media because they wanted support to have the advert pulled
If 1, then typical. I wouldn’t be surprised. Something to publish and make a story of.
If 2, then harden up, move on, find something else to worry about
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Lipo – or 3 – any publicity is good publicity so AirNZ have cleverly engineered this whole story.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Every now and then someone comes along who’s so feebleminded and pathetic that it makes you despair for the human race.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I see “whoop whoop” typed on the page, and yet I still have no idea what the DC10′s ground proximity warning actually sounded like. The words could mean anything. Or nothing.
Singapore were flying Douglas MD-11s into Auckland as late as the mid 1990s, and those look very similar to the DC10 that was destroyed on Erebus. Is that insensitive too?
If Air new Zealand were saying “Let’s party like it’s 1979!” you could start asking more valid questions about good taste.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Whoop whoop!
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Just like covering up for stealing the identity of a dead baby 5 years ago should not be associated with the credibility of Rodney Hide today, right?
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Whoop! Whoop!
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Oh and at the time Air NZ management (in their efforts to deflect all blame onto anyone but themselves) tried to blame pilot error for the Erebus Disaster.
One could just as well argue that the recent All Blacks safety video showing “Captain” Graham Henry (clearly not a competent jet pilot) in the pilot’s seat is a cruel and insensitive joke about the Erebus crash and the litany of lies etc, and evidence they still haven’t accepted their part in the culpability for the disaster.
But that would be stupid, so no-one has.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
It’s normal for triggers to remind you of tragedies like deaths, it’s not nice but something most people learn to live with. Seems really weird to complain via the media about it. There are far more potential triggers in the media all the time. Should all reporting of plane crashes be suppressed to avoid reminding and tugging at heart strings? Of course not.+
The media must have to screen out plenty of attention seekers and sympathy seekers. They should have done so in this case.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
My old man died from complications of a heart balloon operation. It was ten years ago and he was in his mid 70s, but I would still like balloons banned from advertisements. Heartbreakingly, no one gives a shit.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:46 pm
I had a second cousin on the flight called Sean. Now that 31 years have passed I finally feel comfortable getting a haircut, lest I offend the memory of the man.
FFS, people.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:48 pm
That is fucking offensive. My cousin Sean was on that flight. Very poor joke.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 2:54 pm
ive got a cat called sean, but i spell it shaun
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 3:28 pm
The woop woop refers to people getting excited about something, it does NOT refer to a plane about to crash. I think there is an industry of people out there who like being offended, who get publicity when they are offended and we all have to pay them obeisance even though they make offensive remarks about being offended. I have little time for such people. Harden up, life does move on.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Guess what life can really suck some days, nothing entitles you to go about not being reminded of that inadveertantly.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:02 pm
tvb, what crap. Everyone at Air NZ knows the significance of ‘whoop whoop’. The dickhead who approved the ad just thought he was being funny, or clever, or both, and would get away with the double entendre. These fools are running flights to the ice for victim families looking for kudos and to cover up their shameful past, but their real corporate group think has not changed one iota. Stop defending these corporate thugs.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:10 pm
“Stop defending these corporate thugs.”
Oh here we go. Next you will be upset at Air NZ acting “all corporatey” I bet.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Just like covering up for stealing the identity of a dead baby 5 years ago should not be associated with the credibility of Rodney Hide today, right?
Point one.It happened 26 years ago.Point two.At that Time Garrett was a labour supporting member of social unity…a Lefty.So in all fairness I would like the Left now to aplogise to us about their shameful behaviour in association with Garrett and leave politics at once.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:26 pm
I used to have a ‘Whoop Whoop Pull Out’ badge. I am sure they were distributed by the Catholic Church to encourage natural birth control.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Very interesting discussion on this on yesterdays “Afternoons”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/aft/2010/09/20/the_panel_with_jonathan_krebs_and_bomber_bradbury_part_1
As well as the panelists and Jim Mora having their say there is also a discussion with an Australian aviation writer who looks at this and also gives his take on the French report of the Perpignan crash
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Who cares! This whole grief industry thing sickens me. We are told what to do and think in order to pander to the sensitivity of people who spend their time being offended.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 4:42 pm
“Everyone at Air NZ knows the significance of ‘whoop whoop’.” – except perhaps those that weren’t born at the time, like probably the marketing guys.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 5:46 pm
My first ever employer, who was a close family friend and a leader in the small community I grew up in, died in that aircraft crash. For me, as the child of a single parent, he was the closest person to a father figure I had during my teenage years. But that was over 30 years ago. I would have felt advertising like this to be extraordinarily insensitive if they had done it in the 1980s, but surely it’s now time to move on. I have.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Actual plane sound. What Air NZ are actually referencing. Whoop whoop, that’s the sound of the police.
I think the advert is insensitive to sensitive types and we should stop doing everything in case it offends.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 6:05 pm
its a sad story. and the media are wankers to give it ink http://roarprawn.blogspot.com/2010/09/ban-oxygen.html
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 6:12 pm
“That is fucking offensive. My cousin Sean was on that flight. Very poor joke.”
Wel, that didn’t work. The one time I give PG a real example of hypocrisy the poor addle brained commie sucker won’t take the bait.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 9:33 pm
This was, purely and simply, a case of a reporter creating a story where there was none to begin with.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I’m of two minds. If ever I hear a recording of an actual cockpit flight recording with this electronic alert on it, my mind automatically goes back to that fateful day. To see the words in a advertisment I think is stretching things a bit, but I can still understand those that are still haunted by that day. Anyway, I’ve long advocated for the resumption of flights to the Antarctic. The sooner the better.
Vote:September 21st, 2010 at 11:56 pm
I found the recent EQ quite stressful and hence forth expect to see anything involving shaking banned. Milk shakes for example.
Vote:September 22nd, 2010 at 9:50 am
KRS one y’all
Vote:September 22nd, 2010 at 1:24 pm
All those who think the TE901 relatives’ sensitivity to this is silly –
Of course you also think 9/11 relatives’ sensitivity to ground zero mosque is silly?
Vote: