#NewCampaign: $15m Emirates campaign opens up a world of good times

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president for corporate communications, marketing and brand, said: “Emirates and Dubai have always been inextricably linked. Each day, Emirates operates more than 500 flights that connect Dubai to the world, and the world through Dubai. Since day one, Emirates has proudly and actively promoted our hub. Dubai offers a great experience at our world-class airport, and the city has become a top global destination because it continually invests to bring new attractions and supporting infrastructure for international visitors.”

We go behind the scenes of the campaign with Boutros:

Why “Don’t stop me now”?

The campaign is backed by the iconic soundtrack “Don’t stop me now” by British rock band Queen, which was found in a scientific study to be the most uplifting or “feel-good” tune on the UK charts in the past 50 years.

What's the aim of the campaign?

We believe that people have a strong desire to travel and experience the world for themselves. They want to be inspired, to discover, and to have fun. That is why we chose to use the Queen soundtrack and specific creative approach, both of which are uplifting and energetic, to remind people of the excitement of travel and when they travel, to do so with Emirates.

Travelling is in itself an emotional experience, and we simply went back to using storytelling to inspire people to travel and make experiences...

How was it made and who is behind the making of it?

The ad spot utilises clever camera work that seamlessly transitions between key destinations and Emirates’ onboard features, reminiscent of a visual storytelling style that show “a picture within a picture”. The ad culminates in Dubai, with a soundbite on how Emirates connects the world via Dubai.

It was conceptualised and scripted in-house and shot by award-winning director Vaughan Arnell. The “no-cuts” continuous camera transitions were supported by cutting-edge computer-generated imagery (CGI) work from MPC in London, the studio responsible for the Oscar-winning SFX (special effects) work for the Jungle Book.

How important is storytelling in a campaign like this?

The use of stories in the context of this campaign, whether it’s about a particular experience on a flight or at a particular destination, is a critically important part of creating an emotional connection between the audience and the message you want to convey. Travelling is in itself an emotional experience, and we simply went back to using storytelling to inspire people to travel and make experiences, while at the same time highlighting the expanse of our network, services and award-winning hospitality.

What’s next?

Besides welcoming the delivery of our 100th A380 aircraft next month, which is a major milestone for the airline as the world’s largest operator of this popular and iconic aircraft, we have several other exciting product campaigns lined up.

All we can say right now is watch this space.