AN UNEXPECTED FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT
If you're like most travelers, you've probably conditioned your brain for years to fall asleep during the monotonous safety announcements right before takeoff. You know to fasten your own safety mask first, and that your seat cushion doubles as a flotation aid.
Recently, however, Delta Airlines released a video that exemplifies an emerging trend: entertaining inflight safety videos. These wacky, comical, and even musical displays of safety instruction are going viral, even changing people's flight preferences, and thus display a perfect new world of opportunity for entertainment marketing.
Delta
The most recent contribution to this trend was Delta's internet meme-filled video, although Delta entered this market previously with its outrageous 80's themed version.
Virgin
Virgin Airlines dominates the entertaining inflight safety reel by capitalizing on catchy. Shown below are two musical renditions of the instructions, one (Virgin America) featuring celebrity dancers and the other (Virgin Atlantic) animated.
Air New Zealand
Much like many of New Zealand's tourists, this airline wants to take you on an adventure with a whole story. Air New Zealand's inflight safety instruction narratives have drawn from influences such as The Hobbit and A Safari. (PS: It doesn't hurt that they have their own hashtags right in the title to spread the content virally!)
United
Similarly, though less kitschy than the musical or humorous approach, United Airlines wants to make safety into a global adventure.
How Airline Brands Can Benefit
1. Customers aboard look forward to the content
Simple: if the video is enjoyable content, it adds an asset to the inflight experience. It truly becomes engaging content - which can save your life.
2. Over time, the airline garners a positive brand image
As they continue to produce creative, entertaining, and trendy videos, airlines like Delta and Virgin garner a reputation of being more cool, hype, and up-to-date, as well as appearing to care more about the overall experience and enjoyment of their passengers.
3. The potential use of celebrities in the content acts as a new endorsement strategy
Major celebrities haven't been utilized quite as much yet for this medium. A starring or even cameo role for a celebrity gives the airline an instant brand image revival, much like a traditional endorsement ad would.
However, Old Navy did a fun parody of an inflight video in years past which was chock full of celebrities, and could be something to learn from!
How Associated Brands Can Benefit
1. Product Placement
Whatever the theme or story of the inflight video, production will likely need some type of product, wardrobe, and/or set dressing. The airline and/or production may not want to have a lot of insert logos, but organic placement may fit very well. It all depends on the video content, and how the brand and the airline choose to partner together; inflight video exposure could even be the start of a new way to partner among brands!
2. Brand Integration
Building upon the partnership potential and the flexibility of the video narrative, brands could even pay to be woven into the story in a more prominent way. Exposure would be very similar to an integration in a music video, television, or digital content, with the added bonus of a stronger bond with the airline brand as well as any celebrities that may be featured.
Learn More About Effective Brand Marketing
Be sure to keep up with our blog for more insight into strategic brand marketing strategy and trends in the entertainment industry!
Are you interested in integrating product placement into your entertainment marketing mix, but simply don’t know where to start? There is so much more to product placement than you may think, and it is important to be educated about the key tactics to best fit your brand. Download our Product Placement 101 Infographic today to start learning more!
United
If you're like most travelers, you've probably conditioned your brain for years to fall asleep during the monotonous safety announcements right before takeoff. You know to fasten your own safety mask first, and that your seat cushion doubles as a flotation aid.
