52 Comments

I really like the ad, I loved the 80's 'throw back', previous ad aswell. I guess the whole premise of these adverts is to capture what flying once was! V.A. are doing a great job and are setting new standards in flying by going back to the beginning of it all. Great job Traktor. I almost sound like a sales rep for them - I'm not.
Mike Walker
2010-10-05 12:31:59

Love the advert, glamour and exclusivity certainly comes across with the James Bond intro credits feel too, class job Traktor! Now where do I book my V.A. flight to see the flying women??
Richard Peirce
2010-10-05 13:02:25

Sorry, but isn't this just a copy of every James Bond opening titles since the dawn of time? Creative in terms of the visuals, but carbon copy as an original idea.
Phil B
2010-10-05 13:04:03

It looks more like the opening credits to a Bond film than an advert for an airline. I like it.
Steve
2010-10-05 13:05:59

I'd be amazed if the Bond link wasn't intentional - quite like it.

Really lazy song choice though.
Mark
2010-10-05 13:15:15

i'm really surprised you haven't mentioned/noticed that it's obviously a pastiche of Bond opening titles - perhaps aiming to appeal to the adventurous/glamorous side of air travel. The ad even has some similar colours/textures to the brilliant Quantum of Solace opener. The song they used has a Bondish feel to it too - though it's quite a weak choice.
Mark Lee
2010-10-05 13:19:56

I'd never eat a prawn on a plane.
Dr Black
2010-10-05 13:46:53

Repellent, not unlike the Bond franchise.
Simon Palmer
2010-10-05 13:51:05

Is it me or is this really naff! haha... if a company like Virgin can't do it what chance the rest?
tony
2010-10-05 13:51:49

I think they've been quite open about parodying Bond. It's great fun, but I wouldn't be totally sold if it wasn't for the glorious closing ten seconds, with a member of the cabin crew half-hopping as she struggles out of her shoes.

Bang on the money branding and something their target audience will like. Ten points!
Boz
2010-10-05 13:55:50

Oh pur-lese! How crassly sexist! Like all airlines, Virgin has decided all airline staff are female* & all passengers male.

Cliché, cliché, cliché - would've expected something more original & innovative from VIRGIN;

(*And yes, I did see the "male" stewart, but I rest my case).
Jean GROGAN
2010-10-05 13:58:28

I wouldn't worry about the Bond inspiration...I think it was intentional. VA are harking back to the glory days of flying something which was echoed throughout the bond films, with the sexy women, cocktails and sense of adventure so I don't have a problem with the reference.

This ad still wont beat the 25th anniversary one though, that was bang on.

p.s.
Love the prawn comment Dr Black
Sam
2010-10-05 13:59:09

Eliza, you're absolutely right. There's no glamour OR fun in air travel anymore. Not for us mere mortals anyway. I love the concept of Virgin Upper Class and the thought that at least one airline is trying to hold on to the notion of good old fashioned service during a time where most service provider's couldn't give two shits whether you're happy or not - as long as they've got your money.

I've just got back from Dublin and Ryanair, perhaps more than any other airline, have truly sucked the fun and glamour out of travelling by plane. I didn't "check in online" expecting to check in when I got to the airport (call me old fashioned). £40 it cost me to get on my flight (insert expletive here). Which is the same amount it cost to bring a bag with me (insert more expletives here). And whatever happened to "Hi, my name's Sandy, and I'll be doing whatever I can to make your time with us as comfortable as possible." Huh? Even if Sandy was never going to do everything in his/her power to make me as comfortable as possible - it's nice to be told that your comfort is the most important thing.

Now all I hear on a flight is "Welcome aboard this Ryanair flight. Myself and my colleagues will be talking over the tannoy for the entire flight trying to sell you scratchcards / perfume / shit food / expensive beverages / cigarettes that will kill you. Those sitting in rows 34 and 35 please open the doors and get everyone off the plane should we crash land. Can of Pringles for €10, anyone?"

Bearing all of this in mind, I have to say, I kind of like this ad. The mere thought of an airline offering a sexy, fun, glamourous service where the customer is treated like a VIP is so appealing, given that the reality of flying is so shitty, that I can't help wanting to believe the fantasy Virgin have conjured up here.

Surely, service with a smile and the promise of customer satisfaction HAS to make a comeback?

Virgin seems to be talking the talk - but can it really walk the walk? Anyone had a delightful Virgin air travel experience recently?
 Gavin Lucas
2010-10-05 14:02:20

kitsch
martin - me studio
2010-10-05 14:09:35

WOW. Love it. It's so much fun.

The little moment at the end almost spoils it for me though - too much of a snap back to reality.

Still. Love it all the same.
Gavin Martin
2010-10-05 14:19:58

Flew back from the US yesterday with Virgin. Sadly nobody looked like this.
Andy B
2010-10-05 14:50:57

In contrast to the American Airlines adverts with Kevin Spacey, I think they've done a good job at showing that they take a different approach to first class.

American Airlines = Style
Virgin Atlantic = Glamour

While the advert works on some levels, I'm left undecided if I like the advert or not, its great to watch however I think there is no proper link to the reality of flying with Virgin Atlantic that the previous V.A advert did. In the previous ad for V.A we were reminded of the exclusivity and sex appeal that flying with V.A had, however this one doesn't show or promote that link and really just relies on a quirky, eye catching advert.

I imagine an advert that advertised style over glamour would relate better with the target audience as it realtes to the audience in a tangible way by letting the product speak for itself (for example American Airlines, Apple and Marks and Spencers)
Luca Paulina
2010-10-05 14:58:35

It's fun and frisky! love it.
Mountain Glass
2010-10-05 15:16:14

this is exactly what its like in upper class. trust me.
richard
2010-10-05 15:49:01

Ive used Virgin many times over the last couple of years all over the world and as Obama famously said, no matter how much lip-stick you apply, a pig is still a pig.
Mind you nothing will prepare you for the horrors of Air France.
peter
2010-10-05 15:59:56

Luca Paulina's comment about the Kevin spacey ad is quite on point.
I much prefer the AA Spacey ads.
I don't like the 'budget glamour' offered by Virgin's ads.
Which is exactly what it is.
The AA ads feel much more refined in a way that Americans do so well (sometimes)
The Virgin offer comes across as being British but in a cheaper way.
A pastiche of glamour rather than the real thing.
Something we Brits do quite well.
Dave O
2010-10-05 16:08:35

Am I the only person who sees no legs in this spot and by legs I don't mean long legged models posing as FA's. I mean the "repeat viewing" kind. I watched it twice and felt no desire to go back and see it again. The imagery, though beautifully composed and shot as I would expect from Traktor and RKCY/Y&R, has no connection to the glamour and style of their 25th Anniversary spot. For glamour and style to sell and work on an aspirational level in advertising, the creative has to connect with the viewer and make them feel, even for a few short seconds, that they too can share in the dream. This spot reminded me of a typical creative wet dream pitch session where form overrides substance and your left with an unsatisfied craving for something more.
Scott Brandon
2010-10-05 16:13:45

Gavin - I salute you : )
Rajesh Pancholi
2010-10-05 16:18:47

Like alot of other comments above, I like the ad its very appealing, however its so damn sexy which flying is not, unless you were flying on Concord, lets face it that it now a bygone era, certainly feels more like a james bond movie opener.
Jitesh Patel
2010-10-05 16:19:53

I bet RKCY/Y&R are laughing all the way to the bank...
Jitesh Patel
2010-10-05 16:21:55

Gin in a bag. Carbon footprint.
David janes
2010-10-05 16:41:25

What is this shaken but not stirred crap. It's tacky, done to death and says nothing to me about anything. There is nothing more annoying and off-putting than advertising that undermines the customer. There is so much crap advertising around it's unbareble.

Take the basic idea of this concept. Hyperbole, Drama and Luxury. Anyone who has taken a plane anywhere knows how untrue this is.

We are not stupid.

(I understand the need for creative expression in advertising, but there's something about airlines that piss me and everyone else off)
Youssef Sarhan
2010-10-05 16:54:00

Ending ruined it!
James Wallace
2010-10-05 16:58:05

Really makes me want to have sex with VA. Fly it, not so much.
Baldrick
2010-10-05 17:10:14

The ending ruined it, especially with the rather poor loop/fade/repeat of the songs finale. Should have cut it off at the 1:12 mark.
M-rk
2010-10-05 17:20:37

This is ridiculous, in a good way
A
A
2010-10-05 17:22:42

Boring, and doesn't SELL Virgin in any way whatsoever. The fact that it's so obviously fantasy makes it instantly dismissible and irrelevant. What a waste of money for Virgin.
David Kurtz
2010-10-05 17:41:23

Very James Bond Into
Bradley
2010-10-05 20:00:57

The whole over-the-top sexy Bond parody theme was done very well, but I can't help but feel that they lost their nerve at the end and signed off with an obvious joke just in case Joe Public wasn't clever enough to realise it was all done tongue-in-cheek.

Cheapens an otherwise classy experience in my (be it ever so humble and non-consequential) opinion.
Andy Ley
2010-10-05 21:50:21

Virgin, disappointing as usual.
Graphic Design Manchester
2010-10-06 09:21:19

Fabulous ad! Obviously the Bond flair it's on purpose and it suits V.A. perfectly.
Today's people needs to fantasize to fly!
Antonio Lobo
2010-10-06 10:04:38

love it, wish all ads could be as entertaining!
Alexa
2010-10-06 10:06:14

Glossy, but empty. I don't care what anyone says, for 99.9% of passengers the experience of flying is less glamorous than riding Jordan bareback to your destination. Through knee-deep mud. Wearing a poncho.

Full marks, however, for being the first ever advert to fully nudge/wink at the audience with its selection of the Gherkin as its London reference point.
Fran
2010-10-06 10:52:23

I thought this review was great and straight to the point .
Jack Holleran
2010-10-06 11:37:28

I totally agree with Phil B comment. A copy of ideas already out there, but there was some nice transitions and visuals.
stripeyhorse design
2010-10-06 15:38:08

The strange thing is that the whole ad reminds me of an opening to a James Bond film. The music, the surrealistic effects, the silhouettes, the I'm-more-beautiful-and-amazing-than-you people . . . it's all a mini-Bond film. All we need is Bond pointing a gun at us to complete the picture.
Dean
2010-10-06 15:46:31

I didn't like the ending but loved the rest of it. Its a celebration of 25 years so I don't see what it matters that its a Bond pastiche and not an original idea. Even original adverts are often based on art (case and point 'The Cog' by W&K for Honda).
Post production-wise its super slick, I would have loved to have worked on it.

And as for the Germaine Greer comment – the word is steward, not stewart. I'm a Stewart, well really I am a Stuart.
Stuart
2010-10-06 21:31:44

ps. Gavin – great Ryanair related rant. I had a similar €40 for not checking in before I got to the airport in Spain...Where was I going to find an 'expletive' internet café with an 'expletive' printer in a Catalonian mountain town where you can't even go to the supermarket between 12pm & 6pm!
Stuart
2010-10-06 21:36:22

I think a lot of people here need to lighten up! Why criticise an airline for trying to distinguish itself from the pack and the bad reputation the industry has developed for itself.

I liked it. Not flawless but I know people will talk about this one endlessly and how many other campaigns really manage that? I know the reality may well be different but at the same time it would make make me consider Virgin first if I had the luxury (money) to actually choose which airline I fly with.

And the ending made me chuckle - I guess that makes me one of the target market and not one of the pompous trolls above who wish they could work on a project with this kind of production quality.
James
2010-10-07 09:26:07

The Bond analogy is interesting. It doesn't matter how bad a Bond film is, you can always be sure you'll get a great intro sequence. So you watch a great intro sequence and prepare for the movie, the long haul experience, and it can be so very disappointing. There are some very poor Bond films, lets be honest.

So the use of Bond in this case is interesting because, lets be honest, after you've been excited by the great TV spot, you're only going to have the same grim travel experience as you would with any other airline.
Orbit Lesser
2010-10-07 10:53:03

Dr Black - I'm with you on the prawn situation.
Paul
2010-10-07 16:05:59

Yah ok so we ALL know that does not happen when we get to fly with any Airline.
I like like the visual feel and style to the ad but i could not help but feel this is a ad for those with plenty of money to spend on a flight.
A class directed ad !
jim
2010-10-07 16:51:27

I think this is really funny and camp- Bravo. Whoever thought the job of advertising was to show the drudgery of reality? It make me feel good about brand.
Justin Anderson
2010-10-07 17:07:32

AS IF you didn't know to check-in online for a Ryanair flight.
i am sam
2010-10-11 15:50:49

I hope they have the license to fly...
Brille
2010-10-11 17:40:00

It's an awesome ad and the whole Bond theme is brilliantly punctured by the line at the end. Adding humour and a touch of reality (with the shoe thing) in the last scene makes the whole brand more likeable without destroying the escapist glamour that's been built up. Indisputably top notch.
Photography Art Cafe
2010-10-13 16:13:40

It's glossy, aspirational and tongue in cheek. As a whole it works for me. And I don't even watch Bond.
dels
2010-10-27 17:55:45

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