Etihad Choose Well

Abu-Dhabi based Etihad has unveiled a new brand platform, titled “Choose Well.’ The airline says that this ties into a new customer proposition, which is all about encouraging people to make choices about how they travel and to journey on their own terms.

A launch ad produced by BBD Perfect Storm, starts with the phrase “we are our choices.” It then carries on with this theme while shots of an Etihad flight are shown, with phrases such as “choose your seat….choose the aisle, or choose and view” and “choose to switch on or switch off. 40 slides (cue a picture of a man over a laptop) or 40 winks.”

The voice-over then goes to talk about choices in a broader sense, e.g, “you can choose your career, choose whether it is here, or there, or both.”

Etihad says that the ‘Choose Well’ theme will now form part of the airline’s visual identity deployed across marketing collateral, sponsorships and events with the aim of creating greater visual impact.

In addition to the video, Etihad says there are radio, print, digital and social elements to the campaign, and it is appearing in Saudi Arabia, the UK and Australia.

As part of the campaign, the airline chose to feature a range of individuals including its own staff. For example, one person featured is Shaima Rashed, one of the UAE’s first Airbus A380 female pilots.

Other individuals included figures associated with the UAE or the airline, with copy over them again emphasising choices. For example, one featuring Pep Guardiola, manager of Etihad-sponsored Manchester City says, “you don’t get to be one of the world’s best football managers by chance….He chose his destination. Have you?”

According to Robin Kamark, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are a proud advocate of choice and have introduced a range of products that allow our guests to personalise every aspect of their experience. We believe that the power of choice lies with them.”

Similarly, BBD Perfect Storm CEO Jason Foo says, “research showed that Etihad offering greater choices was a game changer.”

But is it? The SimpliFlying team looked at Etihad’s new brand proposition and we were not convinced for a few reasons.

It’s a generic lifestyle statement not backed up by specifics. Indeed, the voice over and ad doesn’t talk about anything unique. “Choose 40 slides or 40 winks.” That’s something you can do on an LCC as well of course.

Fly Better vs Choose Well

As a result, the campaign does little to differentiate Etihad from its close competitors Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines - all of whom, to the untrained eye, offer something similar - a good quality product and connections worldwide via its global hub. If anything, we feel the

Emirates platform of “Fly Better” is more impactful. Fly Better (covered in our November issue) is both aspirational and tangible. It’s a positive statement backed up by actual benefits.

For example, the recent ads concentrate on both the extensive in-flight entertainment system and the airline’s global network.

Meanwhile, the previous “upgrade your airline” campaign poked fun at passengers of other airlines who try and beg and blag their way out of economy. But it was also backed up by something meaningful - awards Emirates has won for its economy product.

The lack of aspiration in Etihad’s marketing was something picked up by the One Mile at a Time blogger, who wrote a piece over the Summer titled “The Sad Decline of Etihad:”

Companies spend a lot of money on aspirational marketing to make us feel like a brand is great, even when we may not have any firsthand experience...some ads are truly intended to make us feel like a company is something special. For example, Etihad’s marketing with Nicole Kidman is absolutely brilliant. Who wouldn’t want to fly an airline that presents themselves like this?

We’d agree, compare Etihad’s previous “Flying Reimagined” (above) campaign featuring Nicole Kidman with the current “Choose Better” ads. Which airline would you fly? And especially given Etihad’s recent restructuring plans, this kind of magic, and something really special and unique might have been exactly what was needed at this point. ■