How British Airways and Other Airlines Are Using Safety Videos to Fly High Online

This video will debut as British Airways’ official safety video on airplanes as of September 1st, but what’s telling is that the airline released this video online first. Let’s take a look at some of the airlines working with stars (both online and influencers from the worlds of film and TV) and using videos both safety and otherwise to grow their online audiences. The video was the fifth most-viewed airline safety clip uploaded to Facebook in the last 90 days. Tubular data shows us that it had over 105,000 views in the first three days after the video was uploaded. Just like British Airways, Air New Zealand knew that they could draw in an audience by teasing their new safety video and the influencers that star in it, potentially creating a larger viewership when the actual full-length clip debuts online. The combination of famous faces and popular video style makes this video the second most viewed airline safety video uploaded to Facebook in the last 365 days. Air Liban’s August 2016 safety video received 865,000 views on Facebook with 835,000 of those views occurring in the first 30 days since the video was uploaded. This safety video isn’t incredibly flashy, but it features several creative elements that online audiences can connect to and that’s why it was compelling to people on Facebook. The video doesn’t feature influencers, there isn’t a pop music score or popular online theme like gaming. Whether it’s releasing an online trailer, debuting a new video in conjunction with a popular initiative, featuring celebrities and influencers or styling a clip so that it falls into a popular social platform vertical, airlines are marketing their videos online more than ever in the hopes of reaching a younger audience.

Did everyone catch the new British Airways safety video the airline released for the Comic Relief charity in the U.K? With over 3.2 million views on YouTube (at time of writing), it’s safe to assume at least some of you caught it. Featuring a ton of everyone’s favorite British celebrities, the video plays like a casting call where famous actors audition to star in the airline’s short film detailing airplane protocol for passengers. This video will debut as British Airways’ official safety video on airplanes as of September 1st, but what’s telling is that the airline released this video online first.

Not only that, BA even released a trailer for the video. This is just one instance of airlines using safety videos combined with influencers to market their brands online. Although airlines using their safety videos for marketing purposes isn’t that new, now these companies are using online video and working with influencers more than ever to advertise to a younger and more tech-savvy audience. Let’s take a look at some of the airlines working with stars (both online and influencers from the worlds of film and TV) and using videos both safety and otherwise to grow their online audiences.

Behind the Scenes with Air New Zealand

On July 18th 2017, Air New Zealand uploaded a video to Facebook that goes behind the scenes of their latest safety video. The video shows how the crew set up green screens in conjunction with beautiful locations to take passengers on a fantastic journey. Not only that, but the hosts of this safety video happen to be none other than Cuba Gooding Jr. and Katie Holmes.

The video was the fifth most-viewed airline safety clip uploaded to Facebook in the last 90 days. Tubular data shows us that it had over 105,000 views in the first three days after the video was uploaded. This video isn’t even the full safety tutorial and yet it was successful online. This is because airlines are beginning to understand that audiences enjoy bite-sized, easily digestible content on social platforms. Just like British Airways, Air New Zealand knew that they could draw in an audience by teasing their new safety video and the influencers that star in it, potentially creating a larger viewership when the actual full-length clip debuts online.