Delta has just unveiled a new ~30 second ad, called “This Land.” The ad is clearly intended to invoke patriotism and to address the violence going on in the US. It suggests that because Delta spends their days 30,000 feet in the air, they have a better appreciation for the country, and that it makes it hurt even more when violence and anger tear into our country. The ad finishes with “up here, you hope that prayers for peace get heard a little sooner.”
Here’s the ad:
I want to like the ad, but there’s something about it I just find strange, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
There have been some fantastic patriotic ads in the past, many of which give me goosebumps every time I see them. For example, I thought American’s post 9/11 ad campaign was brilliant:
The same was true of United’s post 9/11 ad campaign:
Heck, Aeromexico had an ad recently subtly poking fun at Donald Trump, showing all the damage that borders and exclusion have done over the year (I doubt that ad will be as universally loved, but at least the message was clear):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isj2_xjulHI
Perhaps the reason I can’t quite resonate as much with Delta’s current ad is that I’m not sure how it’s supposed to make me feel. Typically patriotism is evoked when there’s a common enemy, while in this instance the enemy is largely other people in our country. Sure, (almost) everyone wants peace, but when violence happens among citizens who claim to want the same thing, it’s hard to feel emotionally attached to an ad like this, in my opinion.
I don’t know. Without getting too political, perhaps the issue is that I’m at the point where I’m just desensitized to the “prayers for peace” line. The definition of insanity is when you do the same thing over and over and expect different results, and that’s at times how I feel about the problems this country has.
What do you think of Delta’s newest ad? Does it evoke the same emotional feeling that other patriotic airline ads have, or no?
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