Airport campaigns London Heathrow Airport - Christmas bears

Heathrow Airport’s Christmas Bears (“Dorris” and “Edward”) are back for a third year.

This year, the ad sees the pair return to the UK from their Florida retirement home after longing for a British Christmas. The advert opens with Edward soaking up the rays on a lilo, wearing festive swimming shorts and applying layers of tanning oil. After hearing the sound of carols, speaking to family and seeing images of home, Doris and Edward set off back to London.

Set to the 80’s classic of Paul Young’s ‘Every Time You Go Away’, The Bairs then arrive back into Heathrow - the same place they “met” 50 years ago, before going to their bear children and grandchildren.

While the Bears Ads have got Heathrow a lot of exposure over the years, The Independent’s Simon Calder has a different and more controversial point of view:

“By the end of this year, London will strengthen its hold on the title of aviation capital of the world, with around 160 million arrivals and departures.

“More business trips, holidays and family reunions begin or end in the airports serving London than in any other city on earth. But the last thing the capital needs is for more people to be encouraged to fly home for Christmas, when airports are bursting at their overstretched seams.”

Separately, Heathrow and has partnered with the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew, London) to develop an exclusive sustainable shopping bag for passengers to raise funds for Kew’s science work as a global resource for plant and fungal knowledge.

The sustainable bag is designed to be re-used and is made from 80% recycled material. Over 200,000 passengers pass through Heathrow’s terminals each day and, £1 from each purchase will go directly towards Kew’s work.■