Planned, proud and positive - why a pandemic can’t scupper a solid strategy

Will the emergence of the popular Qantas ad, filmed before the pandemic, spark a rethink for brands with campaigns on ice?

Behind the scenes of I Still Call Australia Home. Aboriginal Elder Rene Kulitja. Photo by Kiku Ohe

“All brand strategies should be timeless” and the fact that the much talked about new Qantas advert resonates so well now, despite being created pre-Covid, is down to more professional judgment than good luck.

With more than 200,000 views of the three-minute spot on YouTube, and scores of headlines across media covering the emotive and celebrity-filled new Qantas ad, I Still Call Australia Home has generated a wealth of positive feedback – and that’s without paid media fully kicking in.

The advert, created by ad agency The Monkeys, features a contemporary arrangement of the iconic Peter Allen anthem I Still Call Australia Home, a trio of choirs and well known Australian personalities such as Kylie Minogue, Ash Barty, Hugh Jackman and Troye Sivan.

While it was filmed pre-Covid, the original launch date was delayed and it was only released on March 25.

The Monkeys co-founder and group CEO and lead at Accenture Interactive ANZ Mark Green said it opted to adjust the message to celebrate not just Australia, but the return of travel.

So was it just fortuitous that the concept still worked, despite a global pandemic ripping through the globe shortly after?

Mr Green said luck doesn’t come into it.

“All brand strategies should be timeless. Campaigns can pivot to account for cultural context but the strategy should be consistent, lasting and durable,” he explained.

“This is what makes the campaign enduring and why it’s more professional judgment than good luck.”

Behind the scenes of I Still Call Australia Home. Image by Kiku Ohe

While it was created before the pandemic, Mr Green said the ad has more meaning now as we emerge from Covid.

“We always felt confident this idea would go the distance and we also wanted to make sure the timing was right and sensitive to the struggle we have all been through over the last couple of years,” Mr Green said.

The airline ad, which could easily double up as a Tourism Australia ad, with Mr Green adding that any work done for one has a positive impact on the other, isn’t the only brand creative the agency has had waiting in the wings.

“From our experience we haven’t had to bin any work,” he said. “There are a few campaigns that have been put on hold but they are now starting to appear as we comeback from the depths of the pandemic.”

Behind the scenes of I Still Call Australia Home. Image by Toby Burrows.

Tourism Australia CMO Susan Coghill is a fan of the campaign, saying it was well-timed.

“This is Qantas at their best – producing a gorgeous brand film that celebrates this beautiful country and its people, plus the romance of travel, something we have all missed so terribly these past two years,” Ms Coghill said.

“I also think the marketing and leadership team at Qantas were very clever in holding the ad for just the right moment. And they really nailed it.”

The Monkeys co-founder and group CEO and lead at Accenture Interactive ANZ, Mark Green.

Mr Green describes the ad as a very proud moment for the entire business.

“As an Australian-born company, there is no better or bigger opportunity than to bring to life a major brand campaign for our national carrier,” he said.

“We are fortunate to work with many great Australian brands but this is without doubt one that even our parents are proud of.”