Pakistan International Airlines Unveils New Livery… On An A380?!

Pakistan International Airlines is in the process of rebranding. Like many other airlines, PIA is trying to reinvent themselves and improve their reputation, which historically hasn’t been very good, in terms of safety, onboard product, and service. PIA also has the highest employee to aircraft ratio of any airline in the world, which is a unique distinction to have.

This week the airline has formally rebranded and introduced their new livery. The tail of every plane will have a markhor on it, which is the national animal of Pakistan. The new livery looks pretty cool and is a modern refresh for the airline, but what I find most confusing is how they’re revealing the new livery.

The airline has uploaded what might be the most aspirational and unusual airline marketing video I’ve ever seen, on so many levels. First of all, the airline has chosen to reveal the new livery on the A380, which PIA most definitely doesn’t have. You’d think they’d reveal the livery on a plane they actually have, but…

But beyond that, this video is just so, so, so strange. It seems like it’s made with the sole intention of using as many unnecessarily big words as possible, even if they don’t make a whole lot of sense. When you think PIA, do you really think about “an over-arching and guiding passion to scale the heights of aviation and service excellence?”

Or this quote:

“Here we stand on the precipice of a new horizon as the bearers of bonds and the transporters of connection. Our cargo is emotion.”

Alrighty then…

Check out the full video:

Anyone else find this video as strange and aspirational as I do?

(Tip of the hat to ray)

Conversations (91)
The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.
Comment as a member

Membership is free and takes no more information than commenting as a guest. Earn status points for good contributions, and see fewer ads as your status grows.

Type your response here.

If you'd like to participate in the discussion, please adhere to our commenting guidelines. Anyone can comment, and your email address will not be published. Register to save your unique username and earn special OMAAT reputation perks!

  1. Loading comments…
Recent Comments
The latest from the OMAAT community.

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

W Guest

Pakistani people sometimes do speak in big words in English (their language, Urdu, is pretty formal compared to English).

0
‼ 0
James New Member

@Lucky Syrian Arab Airlines have the highest Employee to Aircraft ratio then it is PIA. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/96203-After-Syrian-Air-PIA-has-second-worst-employee-to-aircraft-ratio

0
‼ 0
Iambic Pentameter Guest

@ Everybody To everyone who finds the brand story (is that what they're calling it now?) confusing, may I just humbly suggest to go back to your College English 101 and open the chapter on cadence and rhythm and allegory and story. The first line of that chapter reads: "Don't make every fucking thing sound like a Doritos ad." Happy flying :)

0
‼ 0
Anthon Y. Guest

@ Rob No, it doesn't make you racist. It reads 'visualization' under the CGI of the A380. They're just having a crack at making their ID look really cool, which it does. However, as a government-sponsored organization, PIA gets a lot of grief from everybody because they feel strongly about its potential gone wrong. That will remain so long as the loop holes remain. But, if the ID is anything to go by, the brand story (which is poetic and beautiful) aims to inspire and contextualize the use of the Markhor — the national animal. I believe other changes — as drastic as the livery — are underway. @MJA In agreement with Ali. @ Emily Wow! You've got soul and may it always fly...

0
‼ 0
Ali Guest

@MJA What utter rubbish. The identity is being praised left, right and center. It is a massive departure from tradition, no doubt. But let's not forget that right up until the early 2000s there was absolutely no flag on the PIA tail. Did you get that? No flag, whatsoever. It's time PIA stops piggy-backing on nationalism and starts branding according to internationalism which this livery succeeds in doing. The typography in the front of the plane is gorgeous. It's not as clinical as their former font, Helvetica. It's got the curves seen in the design of the markhor and will fit beautifully if a local language variation is made in the same type style. I'm a fan of the identity.

0
‼ 0

Save posts to read later

Saving posts is a member feature. Become an OMAAT member to build a reading list you can come back to from any device.

Become a member
Meet Ben Schlappig, OMAAT Founder
5,883,136 Miles Traveled

43,914,800 Words Written

47,187 Posts Published