How another Aussie convinced Nicole Kidman to be the face of Etihad
SHE is one of our most famous exports and he is arguably the most successful Australian in aviation. This is how James Hogan wooed Nicole Kidman.
HE is arguably the most successful Australian in aviation and now James Hogan is probably the most envied as well.
The former Ansett worker cemented his reputation as a man who gets what he wants when he announced to the world Nicole Kidman would front Etihad Airways’ new luxury marketing campaign.
After just three or four flights with Etihad, it seemed Kidman was so taken with the airline and its home of Abu Dhabi she signed on as a global ambassador.
One can only imagine how Qantas CEO Alan Joyce felt to learn that one of Australia’s most famous exports had agreed to promote the United Arab Emirates-owned carrier.
In a world obsessed with celebrity, star endorsements have become increasingly important to airlines.
Last year, troubled Malaysia Airlines stitched up another Australian in rising tennis star Nick Kyrgios, and last year AirAsia signed on South Korean footballer Park Ji Sung to sing its praises.
The Flying Kangaroo’s main celebrity association has been with US actor and aviation enthusiast John Travolta.
For Hogan, Kidman was the obvious choice for the role describing the Oscar-winning actor as the “embodiment of elegance and style”.
“When the creative agency came to us with the right face and image for Etihad Airways it was Nicole, and we had to endorse that,” said Hogan.
“We’re delighted to be working with Nicole, it’s the start of a strong partnership.”
While Hogan refused to reveal the size of the investment required to secure brand Kidman, Maxus National Trading Director Nathan Cook said such a prominent global campaign would probably come with a seven-figure pay cheque.
“It’s a clever move for an airline out of the United Arab Emirates,” said Cook.
“You always have to be careful you don’t polarise people with whom you put in to represent a company’s values.
“Kidman is very well known and she’s also very safe, very clean.”
Choosing someone with such a strong Australian connection was also a savvy move, Cook said.
“That will resonate with the Australian market and Australians are great travellers,” he said.
The Sydney-born former model does not lend her famous face to just any product that can afford her.
She has previously only aligned herself with fashion house Chanel and watchmaker Omega, preferring to focus on her film work and an occasional stage role.
But in an admission that could further frustrate Joyce, Kidman revealed she had only flown with Etihad “three or four times”.
“With Etihad it was very much sympatical because for me I love flying,” she said.
“At one point I was going to get my licence but I have not had time but it’s something that I really enjoy and I think it was just the perfect coming together in terms of timing and my ability to be able to do it.”
The campaign took a mere four days to film — mostly in the interior of Etihad’s new A380 which features “The Residence” an exclusive three-room apartment with a shower, a butler and a double-bed.
With an average price tag of $20,000 per flight, The Residence is clearly an ultra premium product affordable only to the very wealthy.
Securing Nicole Kidman’s services is not the only feat Hogan has managed since becoming Etihad CEO and president in 2006.
The former Melburnian with a reputation for being a demanding boss, has overseen the airlines’ growth from a tiny, two-aircraft operation to one with a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, and another 200 on order.
Worldwide, Etihad employs 24,000 staff from 140 countries.
For six years running, it has won “best airline” at the World Travel Awards and helped put Abu Dhabi on the map.
Despite making its first annual net profit just four years ago, money seems no object to Etihad which staged the Kidman campaign launch in the ultra-opulent Emirates Palace.
Critics argue the airline has the unfair advantage of significant government support.
A white paper commissioned by US carriers claimed that since 2004, Etihad has received as much as $22 billion in government subsidies and interest free loans.
The 55-page document titled “Restoring Open Skies” said along with other Gulf carriers Emirates and Qatar Airways, Etihad had been able to rapidly expand its fleet and international routes “seriously distorting the commercial marketplace and diverting global traffic to their hubs”.
It singled out Etihad as “unlikely to be in existence” without government subsidies and guarantees.
The airline has acknowledged receiving equity investment and shareholder loans supplemented by $US10.5 billion in loans from international financial institutions.
But addressing the annual Aviation Summit in Washington this week, Hogan hit out at the US airlines behind the white paper, and painted Etihad as the victim of jealous bullies.
“Etihad is a David; a David who’s been facing Goliaths since 2003 when we started,” he said.
“In virtually every market we’ve entered, we’ve had to face existing competitors, with established businesses, established infrastructure, established sales and marketing, established brands and established customer bases.
“To take them on, we’ve had to work harder and we’ve had to work smarter.”
He said there was no “secret” behind Etihad’s rapid growth.
It was simply based on the solid foundations of “incredible customer service delivered on modern new aircraft, with world leading product at competitive prices, on routes people want to fly.
Hogan also claimed Etihad had been more transparent about its business than other airlines.
“We set a timetable to break even within a decade and we beat that target. We’ve delivered a net profit in each of the last three years,” he said.
Hogan’s name has previously been mentioned as a possible successor to Alan Joyce who has undergone his own “reimagining” after turning around Qantas’s once bleak financial fortunes.
Just a few years ago, Hogan hinted he might be interested if the Qantas board came knocking.
But after his Kidman coup it seems a return down under is permanently off the agenda.
“I’m not going back. I’ve been away for 24-years,” he said.
“This is where I belong.”
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