Emirates has recreated a campaign that went viral in August of 2021. The company, which took the idea of a ‘PR stunt’ quite literally, involved a stuntwoman standing at the top of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
This time, the airline took the campaign to new heights with the participation of its A380 aircraft wearing the Expo 2021 Dubai livery.
Emirates’ newest brand campaign is part of a wider $20 million investment to drive exposure not just to Dubai but the global Expo 2021, which will run until March 31, 2022.
The Expo is a global event linking innovation, art, technology, and culture. It was originally scheduled to run from October 2020 – April 2021, but was postponed to October 2021 – March 2022 due to the pandemic.
In a statement Emirates said that the campaign involved months of planning and carefully choreographing of a flypast shot, which involved the A380 flying at a low altitude of only 2,700 feet, the exact height of Burj Khalifa by Emaar.
The aircraft also flew at a very low speed of 145 knots. To put that into perspective, the average cruising speed of an A380 is around 480 knots. The low speed ensured the aircraft could efficiently and continuously circle around the Burj Khalifa and achieve a tight radius without drifting away. In total, the Emirates A380 circled the Burj Khalifa 11 times to take the perfect shot.
“Now at the halfway mark of its six-month run, the excitement and momentum around Expo 2020 Dubai remain strong. Our latest campaign boldly carries the Expo message and invites people to come and experience what is truly the world’s greatest show,” Emirates president Sir Tim Clark said in a statement.
Meanwhile, back on land, the airline is marking its eighth year as the official airline for the 2022 Australian Open. The continued partnership highlights Emirates’ ongoing commitment to the Australian market as it commemorates 25 years serving Sydney, Australia.
The Australian Open, which started on January 9, 2022 and will end January 30, 2022, is not without controversy. Media has recently followed tennis star Novak Djokovic’s journey to Dubai via Emirates as he was deported from Australia.