Gulf Air adds colours to the sky with launch of exciting new advertising campaign

The multi-million dollar press and broadcast campaign will be led by a television commercial with a difference, with everyone featuring in it being a Gulf Air employee.

James Hogan, President and CEO at Gulf Air, says the airline has introduced a wide range of innovative product and service enhancements over the last two years, but has not showcased them all, nor the new Gulf Air brand in a single, major campaign, for more than a year.

"The Gulf Air of today is virtually unrecognisable from the Gulf Air of two years ago,' he said. "Since September, we have been running a campaign which highlighted why Gulf Air is 'Better for Business' based on four key pillars where the enhancements have been made, namely to our frequency, schedule and network, services on the ground, services in the air and the re-launched Frequent flyer programme. With the introduction of this new campaign for 2005, we incorporate these and other developments such as Gulf Air Holidays, in one corporate television commercial."

Hogan adds that it is different for a number of reasons. "Firstly it focuses on people - the people who make Gulf Air different and secondly the talent which appears is that of the more than 30 Gulf Air staff who were recruited following a month-long search for local talent in a company-wide 'Be a Star' campaign, which attracted close to 500 applicants," he said. "The net result is that the stars of the airline are now the stars of our television commercial. They have helped transform Gulf Air over the last two years, and they will also carry it forwards. Therefore we felt that it was appropriate that they should promote the fact that this is an airline which is people focused."

The television commercial, which has the strapline "Colour Your Sky", which was inspired by the colours of the flags of the airline's three owner states, will first air on 27 December, supported by a wide reaching Middle East press campaign. It will then roll-out to other key markets including Europe and Asia from January 2005.

The campaign developed and produced by Fortune Promoseven in Bahrain, was shot in the region over three days in early December. It further reinforces Gulf Air's brand values: the cultural 'richness' of the region as well as 'genuine Arabian hospitality' while portraying the 'international' image of the airline.

The result is a television commercial that celebrates the Gulf's vibrant colours, a fusion of heritage and modern reality all set against the colourful backdrop of the Gulf skies.