Hasta La Creative!

GSD&M revives the “Wanna Get Away” concept/tagline it developed for Southwest Airlines in 1998 and ran with for about a decade in its new campaign for the airline. 

The 30-second “Secret Identity” reintroduces the concept via an undercover organized crime informant giving a live interview. He makes sure his face isn’t seen by the camera by remaining in the dark, but things go predictably and embarrassingly awry.

The formula still works thanks to its flexibility and relatability. Some of the same creatives who contributed to the original campaign helped with the revival, which seems ripe for plenty of new executions. “Wanna Get Away” never compltely went way, though. As Adweek points out, the brand has used the line to promote its lowest fares even in recent years and “#WannaGetAway” has been used in conjunction with the brand on social media. It’s almost a wonder it took them this long to officially bring it back as a tagline driving its advertising, given its inherent possibilities. The new spot is certainly more memorable than last April’s “Garage Band.”

“It’s an idea with a ton of brand equity,” Lara Bridger, GSD&M group creative director told Adweek. “Most people will think it never left. The idea is based in a human truth—wanna-get-away moments—so there’s really no wrong time for this campaign. What’s really great about bringing back ‘Wanna Get Away’ now is that we can truly embrace the social element.”

The brand does just that with its #WannaGetAwayIsland contest in collaboration with Home Away, which invites people to share their own “#WannaGetAway” moments on social media for a chance to win a free trip to an island off the coast of Belize, among other prizes. Additionally, the campaign includes a CBS Sports component with fans sharing their embarassing “Wanna Get Away Football Moments.”

Credits:

Client: Southwest Airlines
Spot Title: “Secret Identity”

Agency: GSD&M
Chief Creative Officer: Jay Russell
Group Creative Directors: Scott Brewer, Ryan Carroll, Lara Bridger, Rafa Serrano
Art Directors: James Hoke, Gus Solis
Writers: Rusty Broome, Laura Canzano
Director of Production: Jack Epsteen
Executive Producer: Marianne Newton
Senior Producer: Alison Wagner
Account Service: Shawn Mackoff, Amy Lyon, Amy Rodgers, Meredith Nagel, Ana Leen
Marketplace Planning:  Jennifer Billiot
Business Affairs Manager: Desiree Townsend
Project Manager: Elizabeth Stelling

Production Company: O Positive
Director: Brian Billow
EP: Ralph Laucella
Producer: Devon Clark
DP: Mauro Fiore
Editor: Jay Nelson/Cut+Run
Assistant Editor: Nick Kondylas
EP: Bebe Baldwin
Stylist: Laura Eckert

Music: Hum

When it comes to airports and traveling by plane, what’s not to love?

GSD&M spins the Beatles’ flower-power anthem “All You Need Is Love” in these Southwest Airlines ads celebrating the carrier’s emancipation from the Wright Amendment. The 35-year-old legislation restricted long-distance flights from Love Field in Dallas to protect business at the competing Dallas/Fort Worth International. When the amendment expires in October, Southwest can jet nonstop all over the country from Love Field.

Happy spots feature fireworks, a colorful water-cannon salute on the tarmac and an “All You Need Is Love” sing-along at a Texas Rangers game. “Love Moment,” the most offbeat commercial of the bunch, captures a few seconds of Love Field activity in super slow-motion—which is exactly how time seems to pass when your flight’s been delayed. Kidding, of course. The folks look as pleased as punch to hang around the terminal taking selfies.

An indie band called Echosmith provides the Fab Four cover. Their version’s got nothing on the original, but it sure beats airport muzak.

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It's been a weird week for airlines in social media, and it's only Tuesday. On Monday a Dutch teen was arrested for tweeting a threat to American Airlines, and US Airways accidentally tweeted a photo of a woman using a model airplane as a sex toy. 

But here's one airline that's actually getting some positive attention this week: Southwest.

Known for being the goofy uncle at the airline family reunion, Southwest (or at least one of its employees) is the star of a video that's quickly gone viral, tallying more than 1.2 million views in two days. The clip is totally safe for work, and no lives were threatened, so they're already winning by a couple of points.

In the video, a flight attendant delivers one of Southwest's famously reinterpreted safety instruction speeches prior to flying. But even frequent Southwest passengers will be impressed by the quantity and quality of zingers she manages to fit into a mere three minutes. 

Some excerpts:

"Flight attendants are coming by, hoping you'll tell them how good looking they are."

"As you know, it's a no-smoking, no-whining, no-complaining flight. It's a 'please' and 'thank you' and 'you are such a good-looking flight attendant' flight."

"If you're traveling with small children … we're sorry. If you're traveling with more than one child, pick out the one that you think might have the most earning potential down the road."

"Sit back and relax—or you can sit up and be tense, either way."

In tough economic times, history reveals that the most successful businesses not only keep their hootspa, they take it up a notch. These days, sadly, many companies are making blind cuts in spending or running for the hills for cover, but giants like Trader Joes, Burger King, and even Jim Henson took a chance and got their start in uncertain times.
The absolute worst thing a business could do in these economic crises is cut marketing costs. I mean, does it really make sense when you need business to cut the one thing that gets you business? CEB (Corporate Executive Board) reports that 90% of companies that blindly cut sales, marketing, overhead, etc don’t maintain savings for more than 3 years. Now that doesn’t sound like sound decision making.

Some thinking says that the market will determine the direction on it’s own and if there really were opportunities out there, others would have already seized them. But industry articles reveal how market leaders like Whole Foods, Southwest Airlines and Macys have smashed that theory.

So whether you are looking for employment, new customers or new opportunities…do yourself a favor and don’t be a pansy…step out there boldly, take chances, and don’t make decisions based on fear.

Jinean Robinson is a CCIO (Chief Creative Infections Officer) who has been in the communications industry for over 8 years, specializing in creative strategy and implementation, 360 branding communications, and brand development. Join her at http://twitter.com/germllc or her firm’s website at http://germonline.com/