I started working for BA in the 1980s and met both Colin Marshall and John King at the various corporate days that were in vogue then. The focus was always on building a new brand "The Worlds Favourite" and effectively trying to get the two bits of BEA and BOAC to work together.
Only later did the idea of historical appropriation start to show - this was after the World Tails fiasco - and followed from the subtle rebranding thereafter.
You can see the first real mention in the F to S video "Aviators"
I describe the current marketing rubbish as the 45th year Centenary
