#NewCampaign: Jeremy Clarkson introduces Emirates' new, game-changing first class suites
The ad begins with close-up shots of a leather seat, luxury detailing, soft lighting, a sophisticated flat screen, and control buttons. Clarkson, dressed uncharacteristically in a smart black tuxedo, narrates the features in a way that leads the viewer to assume he is referring to a new car....
We chat with Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president for corporate communications, about the campaign, Clarkson and the first-of-its-kind first class private suites.
How did you come up with the idea to use Jeremy Clarkson – how did you put him and Emirates together?
Jeremy Clarkson is one of the most recognisable faces in the motoring world. In addition to his credentials as a motoring journalist and presenter, Clarkson is also passionate about engineering, especially pioneering and innovative work. The script fits well with Clarkson’s profile, where he seems to be talking about a car, only to find out he was describing an aircraft.
We felt that he would be a wonderful fit for our campaign, especially as our new fully enclosed First Class private suites were inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the product itself is an innovative game-changer that once again raises the bar for in-flight customer experience.
What was the inspiration behind the ad campaign?
The inspiration for the campaign is based on our constant pursuit to create and develop amazing and unrivalled customer experiences in air travel. It draws on our history of innovation, and if you look back at some of our other industry-leading customer products we developed at Emirates, from the shower spas and lounges on board our A380s, amongst others, and now to another industry first of a fully enclosed first-class private suite, our products themselves are game changers. This is what drives the inspiration for our product-related communications.
Commenting on Emirates’ new fully enclosed first class private suites, Clarkson said: “Seriously, these new seats on Emirates are better than half the hotels I ever stay in.”
Are the suites really that good? Why
Emirates’ new First Class private suites are the first in the industry to be fully closed with sliding doors that extend to the cabin ceiling, ensuring an unmatched level of privacy. Customers can video call the crew for service requests without leaving the comfort of their suite, and crew can serve drinks and canapes through a special service window without disturbing customers.
All suites offer a window view, as those positioned in the middle aisle are fitted with virtual windows that live stream views from external cameras. The suite also comes with a 32-inch full HD screen on which to enjoy the 2,500 channels of in-flight entertainment choices that Emirates offers, a personal wardrobe and private stowage space for carry-on bags; soft lighting and temperature settings that can be customised at a touch of a button, and binoculars to make the most of spectacular window views, amongst other features. The luxurious soft leather seat reclines fully flat, can be placed in a “zero-gravity” position, or adjusted into dozens of other custom positions for optimal comfort.
What’s next?
There are a lot of exciting developments happening at Emirates. We recently participated in the Dubai Airshow, and besides unveiling the new First Class suite, we also showcased our refreshed Business and Economy Class cabins. We also announced a landmark $15.1bn (AED 55.4bn) commitment for 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner’s. Emirates’ orders of the Boeing 787 will be delivered from 2022, enabling the airline to maintain a young and efficient fleet, in addition to complementing its B777 and A380 fleet, with more flexibility to serve a range of new destinations as the airline grows its route network.
The new ad campaign was scripted in-house and shot by award-winning director Vaughan Arnell following the successful collaboration on Emirates' "World of good times campaign" - set to the most uplifting and feel good tune on the UK charts, Don't stop me now by iconic rock band, Queen.
Emirates’ fully enclosed First Class private suites, will enter commercial service on the airline’s new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft starting in December.
