Elo from Rico on AirNZ 777

[ozavanti]

Nothing like childish humour to start the day:YouTube - airnewzealand's Channel

 

[thewinchester]

Childish is an understatement.

I think AirNZ should have figured out in the first three seconds these spots are wrong (and those are the three seconds where the language warning is displayed).

 

[docjames]

Having watched this, it would seem Air NZ is going for the "any publicity is good publicity" approach.

Is this a NZ tv character or something? Or some marketing invention of Air NZ? If their product is so great, they really dont need such a puerile approach to marketing it.

 

[ozavanti]

According to Introducing Rico - Air New Zealand's latest online hit! | Ads | Fun stuff | Throng its a collaboration with Jim Henson's company.

Like it or hate it - smart marketing i would say as its flying through the social media circles.

 

[docjames]

According to Introducing Rico - Air New Zealand's latest online hit! | Ads | Fun stuff | Throng its a collaboration with Jim Henson's company.

Like it or hate it - smart marketing i would say as its flying through the social media circles.

Except that it doesnt really make me want to fly Air NZ. :-|

 

[samh004]

It doesn’t make me want to fly Air NZ from the spoken content, but the seats do look nice, and I think it’s hilarious what they’re doing with the kiwi accents. A little cringe worthy, but it’s all a bit of fun. And hey, you’re not likely to forget it fast, so they’re in your head

It’s good product placement, the IFE/AVOD looks great.

 

[thewinchester]

According to Introducing Rico - Air New Zealand's latest online hit! | Ads | Fun stuff | Throng its a collaboration with Jim Henson's company.

Like it or hate it - smart marketing i would say as its flying through the social media circles.

Smart marketing - pull the other one.

As a marketer, I'd normally be happy to defend good, smart advertising - but in this case I simply can't.

It's filled with countless knob jokes, deliberate references to sexual encounters, and boorish and borderline offensive behaviour. And to what end? Making references to an airline's hard product which they'd want to you try.

And no, that last sentence wasn't meant to be a knob joke - keep it above the waistline people.

It wouldn't be tolerated by cabin crew if directed at them, let alone passengers who'd quickly complain about a seatmate if exhibiting these behaviours.

Further, if this ran on a service to/from Australia, I'd contend that it would be subject to the Advertising Industry codes of practice/ethics given that it takes the form of an ad for a product (at least the premium economy spot), specifically;

2.3 Advertising or Marketing Communications shall treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience and, where appropriate, the relevant programme time zone.
and
2.5 Advertising or Marketing Communications shall only use language which is appropriate in the circumstances and strong or obscene language shall be avoided.

Now it has been suggested there is some background context to the use of this Rico character which comes through in the spot. However, if you lack context about the character, how can one draw a conclusion that might take away from a level of offence at the content?

I'm not exactly likely to fly AirNZ given my travel patterns and alliance preferences. However, if I had a choice where I was limited to either a non-Oneworld carrier or AirNZ, this ad would weigh heavily on my choices as it shows a company that through its communication demonstrates behaviours that aren't in keeping with community standards and expectations.

 

[samh004]

I'm not exactly likely to fly AirNZ given my travel patterns and alliance preferences. However, if I had a choice where I was limited to either a non-Oneworld carrier or AirNZ, this ad would weigh heavily on my choices as it shows a company that through its communication demonstrates behaviours that aren't in keeping with community standards and expectations.

I can’t find the thread, but what did you think about Virgin Atlantic’s latest ad, and prior ads, and how SRB promotes his airlines? Just asking out of curiosity here, considering he’s a playboy, and I think that comes across more so than a puppet.

 

[ozavanti]

Smart marketing - im now pulling the other one!

thewinchester, I'll declare my cards right off the bat and say that im no marketing expert. Sure, i have studied Marketing in a post graduate environment, but I'd classify this knowledge as being 'enough to be dangerous'.

I'll also declare in this 'politically correct world' that these made for internet clips made me laugh!

You make reference that these ad's "aren't in keeping with community standards and expectations". Arent you making a personal judgement call for all of us in that respect?

Additionally you raise some interesting points regarding the advertising standards board and that the clips couldn't or wouldn't be shown onboard. Your exactly right and i believe that AirNZ are absolutely aware of this, hence why they have used the emerging media channel to promote their brand in this segmented way at the same time maintaining other marketing information.

Going one step further - Isn't marketing about identifying target groups of people that you wish to sell your good or services too or at the very least raise product awareness within that those identified groups? Indeed, I was lead to believe that marketing these days is about individualisation rather than a one fits all size approach.

To this end, i believe that AirNZ has achieved their goal.

They have put a smile on the face of (some) people in the Gen X,Y demographic that utilise the social media environment and would rather spend time stumbling the net, than reading some government advertising about drinking, smoking, voting etc. or drinking a glass of wine whilst watching NCIS, Greys Anatomy or the 7:30 report.

As a point of interest, if it wasn't for me placing the link to the clips in the forum post, would you have actually found these clips via your usual online interaction?

Assuming that your answer is 'No', that you wouldn't have found it, then its a pretty big bow to draw to say that the marketing has failed or isn't smart. Rather couldn't it be said that this particular piece of marketing simply wasn't targeted at you and your personal standards and expectations?

By the mere fact that such a campaign annoys some people in the community is a stroke of genius in my opinion.

It means that it has the potential to become viral, because Gen X & Y's like things that appeal to them and their so called 'unique' naturally cynical outlook on life. Of course those of us wiser realise that such patterns of 'individuality' are merely another rotation of the same merry-go-round, but with a different coat of paint.

At the end of the day AirNZ found me in my online life. They have given me some juvenile humour & put a smile on my face.

Not only that but they cunningly showed me some good looking seats, Qantas equivalent IFE and said to me that they are a progressive company looking to innovate, and push the boundaries. All qualities that appeal to me.

Personally i say that's clever. It allows me to draw my own conclusions rather than sending me email "telling me" how good they are doing and how i should be proud to be flying in a certain brand airplane of kangaroo planes as a SG FF.

So next time im looking to travel on a route flown by AirNZ i'll give them a look. Yesterday i wouldn't have given them a 2nd though.

Good marketing - sounds like it to me!

 

[Flashback]

To sum up the ads, I think I would say.... WEIRD:!:

 

[SeaWolf]

I'm going to say that I like these ads. They're fun, they show the product (which looks great), they're humorous and they don't come across as marketing for the sole sake of selling something.

It always puzzles me that every time an airline does something a bit fun or quirky people on this forum always slam it. Lighten up folks.

 

[dezza]

Funny and truely unique kiwi humour!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I'll have to admit that when I watched these ads I felt uncomfortable not so much for myself but for others who may watch it.

I don't think an airline of ANZ's calibre needs to stoop to these levels to drum up business & it could still be done in an above board manner using a fluffy animal character minus the cough and use the said animal to highlight the various features they are trying to promote.

It's a wonder they didn't do an ad with a passenger getting it on with a hostie, but then again I guess they're trying to come up with something that hasn't been done before.

Something similar to The Simpsons or Toy Story could work also but IMHO it has to be something than can still have a G rating. If an airline has to have a warning about explicit content at the start of a TV commercial, something just ain't right!

They may as well get US Rapster Eminem to do an ad for them.

ANZ's advertising agency must be a bunch rampant nymhos (eh bro) given that their last round of ads featured various ANZ employees going about their duties in bodypaint. The ads were quite clever and not offensive however the latest offering is a FAIL.

BTW they could at least use a fluffy animal that looks cute rather than this Rico character who resembles someone on smack! :shock:

 

[samh004]

If an airline has to have a warning about explicit content at the start of a TV commercial, something just ain't right!

But that’s the thing, they’re not TV ads. They’re made for the net, and only the net. And on the net, there’s a completely different audience

 

[lovestotravel]

I like Rico and it's good to see some cheeky advertising back again!

I am sick of hearing about adds being banned because they are too "sexy"

Here in Melbourne there was an "uproar" again today on the popular morning radio show, about all the Calvin Klein adds and how having models in underwear is too sexy and it's not acceptable anymore blah blah blah.

Of course Neil Mitchell hates them and thinks they are "tacky" yet a few days ago he was whinging about us becoming the Nanny state where everything is regulated and controlled. :shock:

 

[Bundy Bear]

A new advert from Air New Zealand and Rico

Air NZ - Story Time



YouTube - Air NZ - Story Time