Qantas: new TV commercial, music by Silverchair's Daniel Johns
By David Flynn, July 20 2012
Qantas has unveiled the first TV commercial in its new marketing campaign, which features the faces of over 25,000 travellers forming the Qantas logo in a mosaic tile.
Set to music composed by Daniel Johns, best known as the frontman for world-conquering Aussie rock band Silverchair, the TV spot will premiere this Sunday, July 22 – but you can check it out right here for yourself.
"The commercial takes the viewer on an aerial tour canvassing scenes of Australians going about their everyday activities and ends with a portrait of the faces" says Qantas, "supporting the narrative that 'Australians fly for many different reasons, we fly for one, you're the reason we fly'."
The opus, named Atlas, was recorded by Daniel Johns in conjunction with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and is Johns' first piece of commercial work.
“When Qantas first approached me, I agreed to the project as I was really into the idea of creating a piece of music that represented Australia" Johns says.
"I wanted it to sound big, something special. It was a conscious effort to create a good piece of music and not just a jingle. I've also wanted to work with the Australian Chamber Orchestra for a long time now so it was great to finally be able to do that."
Here's a behind-the-scenes video on the creation and recording of Atlas, which you'll hear plenty of times in the future as the soundtrack for the new Qantas brand and Olympic advertising.
However, Qantas says the iconic “I still call Australia home” campaign – which launched over a dozen years ago, with the Sydney Olympics in 2000 – isn’t being put out to pasture.
“There’s no doubt customers love it and it will still play an important role for us, especially around national occasions” says Qantas marketing exec Lewis Pullen says. “It’s very much our ‘national anthem’.”
What's your call on the new TV commercial?
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 259
I was expecting a LOT more from Qantas. It doesn't really convey any message whatsoever, I expected there to at least be lyrics in the song, and there isn't even an image of an aircraft. Sorry, for me this is a FAIL.
22 Mar 2012
Total posts 200
I agree, god that was absolutely terrible, I don't know how at all the music represented Australia or even made me feel emotional, even Coming home (as featured on Nikon ads) is more stirring than that crap! Don't know how this will turn out for them but in my view it's a FAIL as well.
01 Feb 2012
Total posts 370
I hate ads that tell me what I am like.
"You believe in openness".
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 59
What a Joke.I was expecting a return to the proven from the Nineties The Way We Do the Things we do song made famous by the Temptations and used for Australian Airlines which had meaning.They even had images of aircraft,cabin stewardesses/stewards and passengers enjoying themselves and being looked after from arriving at the airport till getting on the plane.Surely using that to promote Qantas isn't that hard.
23 Jul 2011
Total posts 4
what a waste of money,
Seriously what was wrong with I still call Australia Home? It had a very strong messege and felt good. Everytime I sat on the flight from LA or HKG to Australia, I really felt proud and homely every time I heard "I Still call Australia Home" in QF.
Now feels like throwing those roasted peanuts at Mr.Joyces marketing dept.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2011
Total posts 186
I wouldnt say it was a Fail - bit it is a bit boring. It reminded me of those scenes from "alien invasion movies" where the population are looking up at some unknown thing/being/foe/whatever.
I actually prefer the Jetstar ads with staff in them, at least they look like they are having some fun, whilst conveying what they do - take pax to family, friends - to places they want to be.
22 Mar 2012
Total posts 200
Yeah, the Jetstar ads are a lot better than this, at least they have fun, 'good times' music playing with happy staff, and holidaying passengers doing their various activities. Nothing seems right with this ad, Qantas.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2012
Total posts 39
Someone in the PR department should be worried. This is just plan boring. No soul or emotion. I agree with not a plane in sight. Its not till the end that you even realise that it is a Qantas ad. For me its a fail!
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 61
Agree. This doesn't inspire me to fly with Qantas, doesn't make feel proud to be Australian or to be a QF FF. Doesn't tell me what QF is doing differently from before or compared to other airlines. So I'm puzzled as to the purpose of this ad. Some ad agency exec had a nice time over lunch talking QF Into this one.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
Sorry Qantas and Daniel Johns but this is a #fail. The music starts nicely but goes nowhere except into totally forgetably territory, it's just a wanna-be classy jingle. And the images? At first I didn't care that there is no plane in sight, after all this commercial is about "us" the people rather than Qantas, but after watching it subjecting myself to it a second and third time, yes, it does seem odd that there is not a single QF person, not a single shot of one of these Australians (who are the reason Qantas flies) going to the airport or stepping off a QF flight into the arms of a loved one or family or friend, or going from the plane to do what they do. That seems to be what is missing here, to me, the connection between 'Aussies' and 'Aussies flying Qantas'.
Compare that to the Virgin adverts which were really pumped up and all about the airline and the way they do what they do.
This Qantas advert could be about anything, banking or electing Labor or Liberals or The Greens at the next federal election or selling margarine. Change the script to whatever you want, really, and the music and video will work just as well, and that is either brilliant or pathetic.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2011
Total posts 186
Changed my mind, its a huge fail. It pops up when you try to open the QF webpage, but you click to play the video and get the message "This video is private" - guess they've changed their mind about wanting people to see it afterall.
22 Mar 2012
Total posts 200
Bahahah!! Your right if you go on on the QANTAS official homepage @ qantas(dot)com, it comes up with the video shaded around it with a blurred yt scrren saying its private. FAIL FAIL FAIL is all this new campaign is bringing.
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