Etihad launches new global media campaign

Etihad Airways has launched a new global advertising campaign directed by renowned film director Chris Hartwill, from Ridley Scott's film production company RSA Films. The media campaign claims that during its first eight years of operation more people have switched to Etihad Airways than to any other global airline in history. Titled "Why", the campaign focuses on why more than 40 million people have so far chosen to fly with Etihad Airways. The television commercial, featuring an Etihad wide-body aircraft performing a low-altitude fly-past filmed from locations at the beaches of Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, will be shown on pan-regional television media across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in addition to country specific stations in the UAE, France, Germany, Ireland, UK, the United States, India, Pakistan and Australia. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' chief commercial officer, said: "The Etihad Airways success story is a phenomenal one that will probably never be repeated and is therefore relevant for the history of commercial aviation. "The marketing campaign shares some of the secrets of our success with a worldwide audience and shows how, in less than nine years of operations, we have carried more than 40 million passengers and become synonymous with providing customers with the highest levels of hospitality and service available on the ground and in the sky." It is the first commercial written by Etihad Airways' recently appointed global agency, M & C Saatchi. The synopsis of the commercial, which will be translated into Arabic, French, German and Chinese, shows people enjoying a day at the beach who are surprised to see an Etihad A340 fly past, trailing a giant message. The tail fin message invites viewers to visit a specially developed online microsite and other digital platforms to find out more about the airline. Special approval was given to Etihad Airways to allow the aircraft to fly at such a low level near the Saadiyat Island coastline. Crowds gathered to see the aircraft complete two fly-past sessions on May 21. In April, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said it saw first quarter revenues increase 28 percent year-on-year to $989m on the back of increased passengers. The airline is on track to achieve a second year of profitability, CEO James Hogan told reporters. By Arabian Business