Global Ads Spotlight: How British Airways brought back the magic of flying
British Airways threw out the traditional airline advertising playbook and replaced it with something far more intriguing - a series of cropped, logo-bare window views that make you feel like you’re already cruising at 35,000 feet. Read and watch in our Global Ads Spotlight column.
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In an age where airline advertising has been reduced to shouting about cheaper seats, more legroom, or "bucket list" destinations, British Airways went the other way.
With its British Original platform already running as a brand umbrella, BA faced the challenge of weaving emotional connection into its communications. Instead of of overexplaining they posed a simple question: How do you capture the emotion of flying?
Also Read: Global Ads Spotlight: How a familiar sound on the NYC subway became a loud call for trans visibility
Turns out, you don't need to show where passengers are going- you show what they feel. The "Windows" campaign flipped the usual aircraft window trope
Rather than framing a sunset over Santorini or the snow-capped Alps, BA turned the camera inward. Passengers' faces - lit by a timeless, optimistic shimmer - told their own stories.
New outdoor for @britishairways
— Uncommon (@uncommon_studio) March 28, 2024
A British Original
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Windows 5/11 ???? pic.twitter.com/EtsRJZjcQB
Some looked contemplative, others beamed with excitement. The viewer was left to imagine where they were headed, and why.
The media placement wasn't random, either. Large-scale billboards in places like Piccadilly Circus, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Manchester were chosen to give the illusion that the subjects were gazing down at people walking below.
In some digital formats, they even appeared to wave - breaking the invisible barrier between brand and passerby.
The campaign was more than a pretty face - it delivered results.
Reaching 26 million adults across the UK, it drove British Airways' highest ad awareness since January 2023, up 73% compared to the same week a year earlier.
It also nudged travellers towards action, generating over 34,800 visits to BA's booking site.
And the industry noticed.
“Windows” scooped four Cannes Lions (including a Gold for Single Market Campaign), earned a D&AD Pencil for Outdoor, picked up Ad Age’s Print/Design/OOH Work of the Year, and took home a Silver Pencil from The One Show.
In the end, British Airways proved that you don’t always need to shout to be heard. Sometimes, one quiet look through a plane window says more about the magic of flying than a hundred destination montages ever could.
