British Airways Holidays launched a new TV advertising campaign on Boxing Day

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity

British Airways Holidays airs a new TV advertising campaign on Boxing Day, Thursday 26 December.

The concept, designed by British Airways Holidays and Ogilvy, was shot by acclaimed comedy director, Juliet May of Motherland fame, through production company Merman, and takes a different approach to traditional holiday advertising by using relatable social scenarios to demonstrate the savviness of British Airways Holidays’ customers.

The British Airways Holidays ‘Clever You’ campaign plays on people’s competitiveness when it comes to holiday conversations, and the fact that how we feel on the inside isn’t always expressed on the outside. Ultimately it tells us that when it comes to booking a break, British Airways Holidays is the smart choice.

The advert reflects the quality and value of British Airways Holidays, where consumers can create their perfect holiday from a range of carefully selected hotels, car rentals and experiences, all bundled with British Airways flights, to a choice of over 700 destinations.

Claire Bentley, British Airways Holidays Managing Director, said:

This new ad campaign is designed to show the savviness of British Airways Holidays customers for making such a wise choice, in a humorous, light-hearted and thoroughly British way!

With British Airways Holidays you get the best of both worlds – the flexibility of creating your own holiday how you like it with all the benefits and reassurance of booking a package with ATOL protection, access to our 24-hour helpline and flexible payment.  Whether it’s a relaxing fortnight in Saint Lucia or a few nights exploring a European city, we’ve got holidays for all tastes and budgets.

Shish Patel, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy, commented:

In Britain, holidays are second only to the weather as popular topics of conversation. This new campaign for British Airways Holidays takes a humorous look at how these conversations play out in everyday life, and in so doing, lets people know that British Airways is not just an airline, but a pretty smart holiday provider too.

The 30-second TV advert airs first at 11:15am on Boxing Day and will continue to run nationwide throughout January. This will be the first advert in a two-part series, with the second due to air in spring.

The first advert coincides with the British Airways Sale that runs until 30 January 2020, with discounts on holiday destinations across the globe, including St Lucia, which features in the advert, where 7-night holidays start from as little as £579 per person.

Credits: 

Agency: Ogilvy

  • ECD: Shish Patel
  • Creatives: Bertie Rapkin / Jon Morgan / Joyce Kremer / Helena Olsson
  • Head of Moving Image: James Brook Partridge
  • Agency Producer: Jeremy Dunn
  • Managing Partner: Josh Harris
  • Business Director: Frank Freeman
  • Project Director: Natalie Pickering:
  • Account Manager: Lucy Ashworth

Production company: Merman

  • Director: Juliet May
  • DOP: Dan Holland
  • Exec Producer: Siobhan Murphy
  • Producer: Debbie Carmichael
  • Offline Editor: John Mayes ( Marshall Street Editors )
  • Colourist: Toby Tomkins ( Cheat It )
  • TVC Online Post: Jamie Russell ( GPS )
  • Sound Designer: Toby Griffin ( GPS )
  • Print Producer:  Ross Walker