Air New Zealand’s Place on the Global Runway

With a brand promise of ‘liberating from the ordinary’ and plans to surprise, innovate, out-manoeuvre and challenge convention, Air New Zealand stands out on the world’s tarmac with its quirky attitude and humorous ads. Australia’s AdNews talk with Auckland-based GM of global brand and content, Jodi Williams, to discuss what success looks like, getting cut-through in the category, and the challenges facing marketers today.

Williams revealed that Air New Zealand zones in on three key areas – culture, customer and commercial – and has looked closely at the business and made of number of changes that have resulted in “record returns”.

She said the brand has also “invested significantly” in internal culture and its people, of which it has 11,500 around the world.

“The brand specifically has evolved, gained confidence and trust, retained a challenger brand mentality even within our home market, and managed to stand out on a global stage far beyond our means and size,” Williams reflects.

“It’s also our people that truly set us apart from our competitors and other organisations.”

Original article by Lindsay Bennett, AdNews, October 16, 2018.