Believe it or not, Air New Zealand opened Pandora’s box approximately ten years ago, when it started creating safety videos that were a little extraordinary. From Richard Simmons and Betty White giving a star studded cast, or Lord of the Rings epic safety videos celebrating New Zealand’s roots to the film franchise.
Many carriers followed suit with similar efforts, from dancing tributes to British Airways’ more questionable star-studded Comic Relief version. However, more recently, as airlines have had to use these videos as marketing tools as well, the shift has moved to a sense of place. With many airlines now embracing their countries as the backdrop to the important announcement. Air France is the latest to join the small army of carriers opting for destination backdrops including Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Turkish and ANA (who opted to do a more Hawaiian based video exclusively for their A380s).
Air France’s new in-flight safety video, is a lively and pretty fast-moving showcase of French culture, with light humour running throughout. Incorporating all the latest regulatory changes in force, this video symbolises the essence of the Air France brand.
Sadly gone is the ‘France is in the air’ more conceptual approach, instead we follow two attractive flight attendants from one iconic landmark to another, explaining the safety instructions to passengers from ‘all walks of life’. The soundtrack has a nod to La La Land, with an upbeat background soundtrack inspired by musicals.
The video transports us from the steps of the Opéra Garnier to the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, from the sunny French Riviera to the legendary Hotel Martinez. The stroll continues through the vineyards of Provence, past museums, a fashion show, a typical French café terrace and along the banks of the Seine and its famous booksellers. So many fascinating places just waiting to be discovered and admired.
One element we love, is the fashion show emergency exit sequence which features – what could actually be a great marketing off-shoot – emergency exit print fashion items including a snappy shirt that we’d happily purchase. Combined with the fashion show lighting, this sequence encapsulates an innovative approach to a destination-based video that doesn’t heavily rely on big sweeping vistas of iconic landmarks (except the end sequence with the dazzling Eiffel Tower).
The safety briefing ends at the top of the sparkling Eiffel Tower, where an Air France crew greets the airline’s customers. Catherine Villar, SVP Customer Experience Air France, said: “With this new video, we are showcasing the best France has to offer in an emotionally engaging way. All our teams here at Air France are ready to welcome our customers and highlight this French lifestyle, which is so dear to us, as soon as they board our flights. We can’t wait to reopen the skies, flight after flight, with safety as our absolute and constant priority.”
The company developed this film with the creative talent of its new communications agency Aura by Omnicom and in partnership with Atout France, France’s tourism development agency.
TheDesignAir 
Sorry but I liked the previous one ;( ; it was quirky, fun, chic and quintessential French. In all honesty I’m not fond of all those flight safety videos where they are showing the procedures somewhere different than inside a plane (‘oxygen masks on top of the Eiffel Tower’, ‘fasten your seatbelts in Palais Garnier’?!) and are trying a bit too much with elaborate locations. It doesn’t make any sense, but I understand that they want to turn those videos into something different.
The flight attendants in this video are indeed very handsome, but the male FA sounds a bit off (the voice dub sounds unnatural, I’ve noticed it with multipe flight safety movies with the male counterparts). But seriously; that moment when the female FA walks down the catwalk and pointing the emergency exits; I’m totally turning that into a GIF right now. So iconic haha