Aer Lingus Shows Nashville How to 'Irish Exit'

Aer Lingus has launched its new creative campaign, ‘Irish Exit’, designed to elevate its presence in the US as it launches its first direct route from Nashville, Tennessee to Dublin, Ireland.

The airline has partnered with Uncommon Creative Studio to truly paint the town teal, unveiling ‘Irish Exit’ signs pointing to the airport in major billboard spots across Nashville on 12th April, the same day that the inaugural flight took off from the US city.

The bold campaign harnesses a hugely popular phrase used by Americans - used to describe leaving a social occasion discreetly without telling anyone - to build resonance with consumers in the US, and intrinsically link the two cities together in a simple yet effective way.

Ensuring that the phrase will become utterly synonymous with Aer Lingus and its new flight path, ‘Irish Exit’ will live across bar signs and stickers, road signs, and across paid social and influencer activity, with visuals dominating the route to the airport all the way up to the gate where the inaugural flight took place.

Lucy Jameson, co-founder of Uncommon Creative Studio, comments, “We wanted to create a campaign that will truly disrupt the city of Nashville at this pivotal moment for Aer Lingus as they launch this new flight route. ‘Irish Exit’ leans into a phrase that’s truly ingrained in discourse both in the US and Ireland…it brings the two countries together to celebrate their connectivity in such a pointed way. Because what’s more iconic than pulling an Irish exit?”

Lisa Melarkey, director of marketing, Aer Lingus, added, “This is a huge moment for Aer Lingus, so we needed an agency partner that recognised this, and were able to help us be unforgettable as we expand our presence in the US. Uncommon brought ‘Irish Exit’ to the table and we loved its bold simplicity, and how it taps into a cultural conversation that resonates with so many Americans. We’ve truly made a statement in the city, and we hope it encourages anyone who sees it to make that Irish exit with us in the not-so-distant future.”

Following the announcement of the partnership between Aer Lingus and Uncommon earlier this year, this is the first tactical outdoor from the Irish airline and the global creative studio.