Hawaiian Airlines Brings the Culture and Traditions from the Islands to the Sky

This month is a celebration of the vibrant cultures within the AANHPI communities, and MullenLowe are excited to launch a new campaign for Hawaiian Airlines “Hawaiʻi Starts Here” that does just that. Hawaiian Airlines brings the culture and traditions from the Islands to the sky. Your Hawaiʻi vacation starts the moment you step on the plane. It's why “Hawaiʻi Starts Here.”

Directed by Thomas Ralph with Gaul Porat as DP, the spots seamlessly blend the allure of the Hawaiʻi Islands with the in-flight experience. To achieve this, MullenLowe filmed on the brand's flagship new plane — the custom made 787 Dreamliner — around the majestic landscapes of Oʻahu. MullenLowe aimed to showcase a different side of the Islands — forgoing resorts and Mai Tais for secluded beaches and rock pools. With a layering and collage technique, the visuals provide an authentic snapshot of a Hawaiʻi vacation as if taken directly from the traveller's camera roll.

To further differentiate the campaign in its category, MullenLowe created a custom piece of music that encapsulates the essence of a Hawaiʻi vacation instead of the cliche ukulele and slack-key guitar. Embellished with flourishes from traditional Hawaiʻi instrumentation, the music gave room for sound design that transports the viewer to the Islands and embraces them with the feeling of being on vacation.

All carefully crafted to convey that Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t just bring travellers to Hawaiʻi but brings Hawaiʻi to them.

The campaign launches on Saturday, May 11 during Hawaiian Airlines’ May Day celebration at Century City Westfield Mall in LA and will run across OLV, social, digital, OOH, and in-flight throughout the next year.