Your Country Needs You!

 

British Airways has launched its latest Olympic and Paralympic inspired marketing with a tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign that encourages Brits to stay in the UK during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to support Team GB and ParalympicsGB.

 

The advertising builds on the airline’s ‘home advantage’ research, which highlighted the benefits for athletes of performing in their own country and indicated that millions of Britons have juggled holiday plans to be in the UK for the Games.

 

The airline is also providing hundreds of flights to bring home ex-patriate Brits to cheer on Team GB and ParalympicsGB. 

 

Launched on Facebook, the  new advert screened on TV during the broadcast of England’s European Championships football match against Italy on Sunday. Filmed by Partizan's Michael Geoghegan, with all post production by Framestore London and set to the Clash's 'London Calling', the spot can be viewed here: http://partizan.wiredrive.com/present-reel/token/c7a469e91791bfdd1cd59977f42b685e

 

It features a British Airways aircraft taxiing by road through London, bringing supporters together to the rallying soundtrack of ‘London Calling’ by The Clash. The aircraft’s final destination is the Olympic Park.  As the ground-level journey comes to a halt, the endline appears: “Don’t Fly. Support Team GB and ParalympicsGB.”

 

Print adverts carrying similar messaging will be placed in national papers and on 48 sheet outdoor posters.The campaign will also be supported online and in social media, using the hashtag #HomeAdvantage to encourage chatter on Twitter.

 

In an online version of the advert on the British Airways Facebook page, users can input their postcode and watch the aircraft taxi down their street. 

 

Frank van der Post, British Airways managing director of brands and customer experience, said: “We’re rallying the country to get behind Team GB and ParalympicsGB to capitalise on home advantage. Whether it’s delaying your summer holiday, finding where to get behind the country with our ‘best sports bars abroad’ guide, or cheering them on at Park Live at the Olympic Park – we are encouraging  every extra clap, cheer and whoop we can get.”

 

British Airways is the official airline partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, and has supported over 1,500 athletes in UK Sport around the world to train and compete in the lead-up to the London 2012 Games.

 

For the many thousands of Brits who will still need to head overseas during the Games, the airline is making special arrangements. To download the App, click here: http://taxi.ba.com/

 

Live action will be shown on the screens in the lounges in Heathrow Terminal 5 and outbound passengers will be offered supporters’ booklets with details on our athletes and the London 2012 Games, as well as a guide to the best sporting bars abroad to get behind Britain.

 

During the Games, British Airways will host Park Live at the Olympic Park for up to 10,000 fans at a time. Already dubbed the ‘Henman Hill’ of the Games, Park Live offers a dedicated area for fans to show their support for the athletes, watch the action live on giant screens and enjoy the newly created parkland space. It is available to event ticket holders as well as day pass holders, open daily from 8am until midnight.

 

To join the campaign use #HomeAdvantage on Twitter.