For me this is possibly the most relatable airline ad ever. Cathay Pacific recently opened their newest lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, The Deck, and they’ve made an ad centered around it. The ad is called “Make Time For The Deck,” and it’s a minute-long slot where you see a couple running through the airport. You see a sign showing “final call” for a flight, though that’s not where they’re headed.
Instead they show up at The Deck out of breath, and the friendly desk agent informs them “you’re a few hours early for your flight.” Then you see them enjoy the lounge for a few hours, and as they leave, another person is arriving a few hours early. The ad ends with the tagline “Arrive Early.”
For anyone who wants to see the ad, here it is:
Obviously this is hilarious and so relatable. I remember when I was maybe 15 or so, I took my brother on a Lufthansa first class trip. We were departing Frankfurt, and our flight must have been at like 1PM. However, I insisted on going to the airport at 6AM, so that we’d have plenty of time to enjoy the First Class Terminal.
My brother decided to go out the night before (or something — I wasn’t having any of it, because 15 year old me thought alcohol was evil), and I remember he overslept the next morning, and we only ended up going to the airport at around 8AM. I remember being so angry all day. How dare we reduce my First Class Terminal time from seven hours to five hours. Heh. Fortunately I’m not quite that extreme anymore. 😉
Anyway, I just love this ad and find it to be hilarious. That being said, I feel like it’s a bit cheesy in terms of the over-the-top music transitions and what seems like obvious voiceovers. But maybe that’s what’s needed for an ad like this.
It’s certainly a bit off-brand for Cathay Pacific as well. Their tagline at the moment is “Life Well Travelled,” and without exception the ads are soothing, and that’s not the case here. For example, here’s one of their ads as part of this campaign:
Off brand? Yes. A bit cheesy? Yes. But I absolutely love the new ad, and I’m sure others can relate to the “arrive early” concept as well.
What do you think of Cathay Pacific’s “Arrive Early” ad?
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