With 10 million views in just two days on Youtube it’s clear that Singapore Airlines knows how to make a good advertising campaign. Titled ‘Welcome to World Class’, the campaign “reflects the Airline’s commitment to deliver an exceptional customer experience across the end-to-end travel journey,” as stated by the press release. However scratch the surface and there’s a deeper shift at play from this synonymous ‘Singapore Girl’-led campaign.
In this new 90-second campaign video there’s humanity at play. The advert highlights a singular crew’s varied and personal experiences with people and cultures from around the world. “The inimitable connection that they have with the Airline’s customers, along with their distinctive combination of empathy and confidence, enable SIA to deliver its world-class in-flight service on a daily basis,” continues the release.
Now for me, we’re seeing Singapore Airlines finally crack through a highly polished veneer. I have been to the crew training centre myself, seen the meticulous training standards that the crew go through, been there as I’ve been greeted in choreographed chorus by a group of cadets fresh out of training. SIA prides itself on this uniformity, an impeccable standard where individuality is tied up in just a handful of permitted hairstyles.
Singapore Airlines has to compete within the region. Fliers are getting younger, and a polished somewhat un-relatable image to the Gen Z generation is going to be at odds with the commercial ambitions for the carrier. While the Singapore Airlines girl was iconic, it was somewhat revered as an icon, rather than emotionally connected to as a brand position.
So the concept of a Singapore Airlines cabin crew letting their hair down, showing real emotion and personality is a bit of a departure, but it’s a welcome and much needed one. The need to build the person behind the image is critical in creating a connection to a more experiential generation of traveller. This is reinforced by the fact the carrier only shows economy class in a 90-second trailer, again gearing itself for those wanting to dip their feet in the Singapore Airlines brand for the very first time.
Mr Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial, Singapore Airlines, said: “At Singapore Airlines, service excellence is deeply ingrained in our DNA and our customers are at the heart of everything we do. This campaign highlights our unwavering commitment to deliver a world-class travel experience, no matter the duration of the journey. Our award-winning cabin crew are central to this promise, with their rich and diverse experiences, as well as their dedication to customer service, having a positive impact on everyone around them.”
Directed by filmmaker Liz Murphy, the uplifting video was filmed in Singapore, Auckland in New Zealand, Barcelona in Spain, Mumbai in India, and Shanghai in China. The Airline conducted in-depth research to measure its global brand perception, and used the findings to create a campaign that aims to resonate with customers around the world, which seems to have perhaps struck gold once more.
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