Personalities who have helped to shape a modern Ireland have been signed up to extol the virtues of Aer Lingus in the airline’s first brand advertising for five years.
The national press campaign, which breaks on Saturday, is the first work by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO since it picked up the company’s pounds 4 million account earlier this year (Campaign, 15 August). Media planning and buying is by New PHD.
The model, Pamela Brangan; the songwriter, Shane MacGowan; the author, Niall Williams; and Eddie Jordan, owner of the Jordan grand prix team, are featured in colour double-page spreads that exploit natural Irish warmth to set Aer Lingus in a more positive light with potential
customers.
Aer Lingus ended its seven-year relationship with the Dublin agency, Peter Owens, in June as part of plans to build its profile with business travellers.
AMV was awarded the business after a pitch against J. Walter Thompson and the Lowe Group which pitched with Irish International and won the domestic account. Aer Lingus had previously confined itself to tactical advertising.
The copywriter, David Hieatt, and the art director, Paul Brazier, created the campaign.
In one ad, Brangan takes her cue from Helen Mirren in the Virgin
Atlantic Airways campaign to promote the Aer Lingus executive car
service. ’When you’ve got legs like mine you need this stretch limo,’
she says.
In another execution, Jordan takes on the role of spokesman for the
airline’s fast-track facility. He says: ’You know that person who is
always in front of you at the airport. That’s me.’
