2013 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

The campaign caught the world’s attention, with 74 articles mentioning the Collaboration Culture series across online, print, TV and radio, and 23 million people watching the program. Emirates’ Facebook fan base grew 1,000%: from 110,000 to over 1 million. Viewers were twice as likely to agree with the statement “Emirates is a brand that helps me express myself”.* We generated high uplifts in brand consideration. While only 38% of non-BBC viewers were “very likely” to consider Emirates, this figure was 51% among BBC viewers who saw our ads, rising to 69% among viewers who saw both branded content and ads.*

Creative Execution

We wanted to bring credibility and scale to the amazing true stories that Emirates create every day when they bring people and cultures together. We partnered with the BBC, a global channel with high reach among travelers, to create a ground-breaking program called ‘Collaboration Culture’. Seven episodes tracked the authentic stories of collaborations by fourteen up and coming artists, brought together by Emirates from nine different countries. These one-of-a-kind artworks ranged from coffin art, to interpretive Bollywood dance, and millinery. We ignited conversations via a branded BBC page, sparked ideas on Emirates’ Facebook page, and allowed Globalistas to comment, meet the collaborators and be inspired by their creations. The partnership was truly integrated with the entire series made available on ICE, the Emirates in-flight entertainment system, as well as interviews with the collaborators appearing in “Open Skies”, Emirates’ in-flight magazine.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

The world is changing. Global individuals are becoming more connected through technology as well as physical experiences of different cultures. The future is no longer driven by geographical legacy. The best ideas win and they can come from anywhere. Emirates wants to become the catalyst and enabler of a brave new world that exists to serve the global citizens who will create a brighter, more inspired future. Emirates has become the most profitable and global airline. However as the airline industry heads toward more alliances, stiffer competition and greater focus on marketing, Emirates needs to demonstrate commitment, authenticity, relevance and differentiation outside the travel industry. They need to become a lifestyle brand. For us to achieve that we need to change the way the airline industry talks about itself. This is no longer about the product but it’s about leading, inspiring, and curating a cultural movement.