Air New Zealand releases ‘fantastical’ new safety video.

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July 12, 2017

Air New Zealand, the airline that pioneered epic in-flight safety videos that have collectively garnered more than 108 million online views, is at it again.

The airline’s latest Alice In Wonderland-inspired release is called A Fantastical Journey and features US actors Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr fronting the stunning natural scenery of the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Accompanying the video is a whimsical, ear-worm of a song, “My Little Corner of the World’,’  by Kiwi singer-songwriter Gin Wigmore.

One of Wigmore’s songs also appeared on Air New Zealand’s first creative safety video, The Bare Essentials, which featured then chief executive Rob Fyfe and aircraft crew in body paint.

Unsurprisingly, the clip attracted global attention and kicked off a competition among airlines trying to outdo each other by creating the most interesting safety video.

But others struggled to keep up with AirNZ, which followed its initial hit with series of safety video epics that included a celebration of the New Zealand-made Hobbit trilogy and science fiction’s Men in Black.

An apparent stumble came with a video featuring bikini-clad Sports Illustrated models that generated a barrage of criticism. The airline eventually dropped the video but not before gaining invaluable global media exposure.

Causing offence is unlikely to be a problem with the latest video, which combines eye-catching special effects with some of New Zealand’s many striking landmarks.

AirNZ will be hoping it will be another successful marketing vehicle for the country and an operation which saw the carrier named AirlIneRatings 2017 airline of the year.

Read: AirlineRatings’ Top 10 airlines

“With the help of Hollywood stars Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr. our latest safety video takes viewers on a journey taking in New Zealand’s stunning beauty, incredible culture, friendly people and amazing flora and fauna, while also sharing the airline’s key safety messages,’’ AirNZ general manager of global brand and contenting marketing, Jodi Williams, said in a statement.

“We’ve taken a different approach creatively with our latest safety video, working closely with our creative agency True, and Auckland-based production company Assembly throughout the process on the special effects to help take people on a magical tour of the country.”

The latest AirNZ effort, which will be rolled out across the airline’s fleet from July 12, comes as other airlines have become increasingly adept at using high production value videos as a way of getting their message across.

A Qatar Airways video released last month after its Arab neighbours imposed a blockade on the Gulf nation has been viewed by more than 54 million people worldwide, according to the airline.

Qatar said that made its “No Borders, Only Horizons’’ television and social media commercial the top viral video during the last week of June.