Qantas spares no expense that it still calls Australia home

[Wirraway]

Sat "Sydney Morning Herald"

Qantas spares no expense to remind the world that it still calls Australia home
By Paul McIntyre, Marketing Editor
January 31, 2004

Qantas is in the final stages of shooting Australia's most expensive television commercial, with a production budget of more than $10 million topping the entire cost of making hit Australian feature-length films such as The Castle, Lantana and The Dish.

The airline has already flown dozens of members of the Australian Girls Choir and the National Boys Choir to exotic and iconic locations in Greece, Japan, France, New Zealand and the United States in what the film industry says is an all-singing cinematic blockbuster. Every Australian state will also feature in the commercial.

The production is so big the airline's chief executive, Geoff Dixon, is "a bit nervous", while John Singleton, whose agency is making the ad, says he is "terrified". "It's the biggest production I've been involved in," Mr Singleton said. "It's absolutely terrifying. It's costing about the same as two or three feature-length movies. It better be good or we're sacked."

Qantas would not comment on the campaign details, production budget or when it would be seen on Australian TV screens but claimed it would be "one of the world's greatest commercials".

"It's a very ambitious shoot," a Qantas spokesperson said. "I can't comment on what the budget will be but clearly it will be a significant investment. We believe it will be one of the world's greatest commercials."

There are suggestions Australians may have to wait for a peek at the new campaign until August, when the airline could launch it during the Athens Olympic Games.

Peter Allen's I Still Call Australia Home will remain as the jingle, along with the two children's choirs, an idea hatched by Qantas chief Mr Dixon after a phone call to his advertising mate, Mr Singleton.

Qantas has been taking only 20 children at a time on overseas shoots and rostering their involvement - aside from a couple of "hero children" - to ensure minimal disruption to schooling.

"It's a logistical bloody nightmare," Mr Singleton said. "The kids have got tutors and minders and all the other things that go with it. It's also bloody exciting."

============================================

[engine out]

It looks like any bonus payments to the pilots and ground staff busting there B*#$ls to get aircraft away on time even with reduced staffing will be absent this year again with huge money spent on adverts.

[Kaptin M]

a production budget of more than $10 million

Why?
Why does Dixon feel the need to spend "more than $10 million" on TV ads, at a time when he is calling for concessions from all other staff.

Is this what he needed the extra $$'s for?

What a hypocrite!

[apacau]

I knew one of the girls involved in the original shoot. The trip they had can only be dreamed of. 5-star hotels, sightseeing, gourmet food and visits to some of the most beautiful places on earth in one mega round the world trip.

[ExcessData]

From what I've read/heard, despite the initial outlay, the initial 'I Still Call Australia Home' campaign was one of the most successful 'big budget' ads in Australian advertising history, and directly responsible for a significant increase of American, European and local business. Even today it's apparently one of the bechmarks in the advertising industry for largescale campaigns.

As we all know, marketing these days is vital for airline success. Easy to snipe at $10m on a campaign, but frankly without the pax (and the growth) the company might as well shut up shop tomorrow. Having listened to a few Melbourne and Sydney radio stations recently, and heard Virgin Blue ads spattered all over them, not to mention seeing Virgin Blue billboards all over the city skyline and airport surrounds, not to mention daily Virgin Blue front page ads in the national broadsheets and Fin Review, I wonder - as a proportion of yearly gross expenditure (and indeed profit), who really has the biggest marketing spend of the two?

Academic really - at least Qantas mainline employees are on decent conditions.

[currawong]

Does the ad have a shot of the outsourced call centre?

The one in India.:(

For people that "Still call Australia Home" they go a long way to avoid using local labour.

Pity, really.:yuk:

[lofty50]

$10 million, OZ or US? But if that is production cost what is the cost for the actual broadcasting?

[oicur12]

currawong,

You mean the one where they are given western names like geoff and mike and scooter and tought to speak strine.

Pathetic, but unfortunately everyones doing. Myer,Shell etc.

[Wonderworld]

Er, am I missing something, what outsourced call centre in India?

[B772]

Money appears to be no object for QF at present.

Recent purchases include two prime time landing slots at LHR from FlyBe for $47M and part ownership of SkyNet making them the 8th largest shareholder.

[Capn Bloggs]

Don't knock QF's advertising you mob: their first attempt (well, the Christmas CD, ending with THE song) is an intergal part of getting my rugrats to sleep, and it works well!

Roll on "...home" verse 2!

[PPRuNe Towers]

If it's done well the whole of Australia could potentially reap the benefits of one ad for decades.

Worldwide the most remembered ad of all time, one of similar nature (very similar it seems), the Coca Cola company's 'I'd like to teach the World to Sing,' was made 34 years ago.

BA's 'face' ad - all the groups of folks creating a face shot from above by helo - directed by Hugh Hudson is still in the top ten all time ads 16 years after it was shot.

The desired effect lasts long after the ads stop their run. Exactly the warm afterglow you guys created with the Sydney Olympics. It will last for years.

Meanwhile America is about to settle down to the Superbowl. Two million USD per 30 second ad. Big picture time folks - I really do hope they produce a cracker.

Regards
Rob Lloyd

(See, and not a mention of tall poppies:E :E )

[SydGirl]

Yes currawong I'll bet the outsourced Indian staff will not feature. I also doubt the NZ and BKK based and hired FAs will get a mention.

We still call Australia home... but our staff don't.

SG
:}

[TIMMEEEE]

Cant believe the anti - Australian (not just anti Qantas) crap I read about in here fellas!

An Australian airline wants to sell itself to not only Australians but to the world at large!!!
If they protray a fantastic image of Australia and attract visitors to this great country then we all benefit dont we?
All Australians benefit - not just a handful whinging about their lack of pay-rises etc.

To think otherwise is just mean spirited, ignorant and narrow-minded.

To think that international advertising isnt going to cost a bomb is naive at best.
If they pull it off in great style then bloody good on them I say!

It may surprise you to know that the Qantas symbol was identified with airline travellers around the world as the most instantly recognisable logo.

Slagging Geoff Dixon or talking about Qantas profits/no share bonus/the Star-Track Express purchase etc is pitiful.
Those small minded individuals making accusations havent even thought of the potential profits it could reap.

The main reason QF has managed to keep its head above water so well compared to alot of its counterparts of late is because of good leadership and shrewd business tactics.
Ordering B737-800's and B747-400 ER's with outstanding conditions on options whilst other airlines were cancelling orders was a very gutsy move,especially just after 9/11.

Purchasing extra slots into the busiest airport in Europe will put the airline in a good position for years to come.
Sir Richard Branson and SQ must be cheesed off they were outbidded for these precious slots.

Whinge about Jet-Star or whatever but the likes of Richard Branson and his co-horts laid the foundation many years ago directly for lower wages and conditions.

If an airline cant remain competitive then it will die.
Geez guys.......heard of Ansett Airlines/Sabena/Braniff just to mention a few???
Now what would you guys do if you were in Geoff Dixons shoes to remain not only competitive but grow the business as well?

Any recommendations would be appreciated by those 34,000 QF employees.

The establishment of a lower cost airline, although displeasing to many, are just a few methods not only Qantas but many other airlines participate in to remain competitive.

The outsourcing of call centres to India was done by Telstra, but I'm sure Geoff Dixon will appreciate your suggestion.

Or perhaps some would prefer to be paid higher wages for a number of years then whinge when their airline dies because it couldnt make a quid.

[1013]

Been travelling the globe for the previous 4 months with the wife.
Without a doubt seeing a Qantas commercial on television in Los Angeles made me homesick.
The adverts are short, professionally made and a cut above the rest of the standard crappy ads in the USA.

Standard US commercials are for mainly pain relief medication, junk-food, law firms, drugs (of unknown use..."Just ask your doctor about stanazinole"?), coca-cola/pepsi and incontinence pads (Dont make old people jokes...you will be old too one day I hope).
Seeing the Qantas add was like a breath of fresh air in a sewer.

To make money you have to spend it and in this case I would have to say they have it right.
If a ball-tearing add campaign is said to be even better than the former then it must great then.

In countries like the USA if the populous dont see a commodity marketed they are indeed sceptical.Thats just how they think.
Never begrudge spending money on effective advertising, especially if it puts the bums on the seats that pay the wages for your lifestyle.

[mmmbop]

TIMMEEE

Here, here.

Too many people on this site think they are pilots - now it seems they also think they are Executives.

And so many wonder/complain why they don't get past the QF(Cathay? Dragonair?) tests. Reading some of these threads it is blatantly clear why.......

M.

[IORRA]

Spot on, and well said TIMMEEEE... :ok:

[the road atlas]

SYDGIRL

Yes currawong I'll bet the outsourced Indian staff will not feature. I also doubt the NZ and BKK based and hired FAs will get a mention.

This is a Rumour network, as such, I take alot of stuff here as a grain of salt or personal opinions, Are the BKK and NZ crews just based abroad on basicly QF conditions, or are they a case of being treated under local labour laws, well particular BKK.

Do you have any evidence of this rediculous "statment" that QF call centers are in India, Surley that is just a joke by some pissed off staff or somthing?

atlas :eek:

[SydGirl]

Hi the road atlas,

The BKK and AKL based QF crews are outsourced through a labour hire company. They are hired on a full time basis however receive substantially inferior conditions and pay compared to those based in AU. Particularly those based in BKK.

There is no opportunity for promotion in those bases as there are no CSM positions, all CSMs are AU based.

They do not receive the same level of staff travel either, though they do receive one (possibly two) trips per year at a discounted rate.

As for call centres in India, I have no idea as to the authenticity of that, it was suggested earlier in the thread.

Hope that helps!
SG
:}

[TIMMEEEE]

The whole call-centre thing does not exist for Qantas.
Telstra however recently announced moves to India and made front-line media.

[Cart_tart]

It's a real shame that the country QF so fondly calls "home", won't employ it's citizens. How about they do an advertisment "I still call New Zealand (or Bangkok) home"

[Beer Can Dreaming]

Cart Tart - as a truly international airline I imagine that in your world Singapore Airlines should strictly employ Singaporeans and Cathay Pacific only employ Hong Kong Nationals?
Besides, we cant have foreigners working on an International Airline now can we?
Moot point and that's why your union let you down and didnt really have a leg to stand on.

At least the kiwi birds I've seen work harder and give good service and the Thai F/A's always smile and are fairly prompt.
I just wish the old boilers would take a note from their book, not to mention overhearing F/A's in economy whinging about their rosters!

Sydgirl, there is no promotion to CSM because that is what your union probably made a requirement.
Also if there were to be promotion you guys would be spitting blood so to speak.

Anyhow guys, this thread was about an effective advertising campaign and not a sandwich-technician bitch-fest.

[the road atlas]

So, are these local crews that are just based in thier home countries, or are they saying to aussies, lucky you, you have to move to BKK or dare I say it,,,NZ.... (ok, just a dig at our sheep friends), but is this a new trend for QF or just a few crews threre only?

[leemo]

Road Atlas,

They are hired in their local country by Adecco NZ or Thailand. Adecco then place them with Qantas as required.

They get paid far less than Australian crews but do get paid the same allowance at hotel check in.

Thai crew work especially hard and generally nice to work with. Its disgraceful that QF hire cheaper overseas crew though at the expense of Australian's wanting to work for the company.

[currawong]

Info regarding call centre based in India provided by ABC.

Cannot recall exact date or programme.

I'm sure they would not lie to us.:O

Do not know how this thread is being read as "anti-Australian".

If anything it is pro-Australian. :confused:

[Left2primary]

B C D,

some FACTS for you.

BKK and AKL bases are made up of Thai and Kiwi nationals.
They are employed not by QF but by Addeco which is a labour hire company.

They are paid well under the QF rate but I understand that the BKK crew at least earn very good money when compared to Thai standards.

The conditions that both bases work under are GROSSLY inferior to those of QF crew. At the moment they BKK crew have a 12 day longhaul trip that has only 1 slip of more than 24 hours!

These crew call THEMSELVES "meal service machines" and many, they tell me resort to the habitual use of sleeping pills to cope with jetlag and the need to sleep directly before a tour of duty.

No shortage of reports of these FA's nodding off on their jumpseats.

The conditions of employment that both bases work under do not allow any thought of career progression or even long term employment, which of course IS the point.

BKK and AKL based crew have been offered promotion to P/C, J/C positions.
100 positions available for the Thai's. Around 25 applied.

It is a Qantas decision not to make the CSS and CSM positions available to them and nothing to do with the FAAA.

Your gross and incorrect generalisations about crew performance indicate that you may have some serious issues with female FA's.

Let me guess. One of them divorced you and took all your money???? Is it any wonder?

Cart Tart's post indicated the IRONY in QF's jingoistic slogan that says " I still call Australia home" whilst rushing to employ foreign nationals, for NO other reason than it can do so cheaper.

How can that not be related to the thread??

"IRONY" [a figure of speach or literary device in which the literal meaning is the opposite of that intended]

Your unprovoked "sandwich technician" insult goes again to indicate that you have some serious issues, as previously discussed and for which, may I suggest, you seek some proffessional help.

Your title on this list indicates that you may be "self medicating" for perhaps, this very same issue.
Perhaps a visit to a medical doctor and a referal to a relevant specialist for more scientific drug based therapy may be of more help.

A person of good moral character would appologise for the unprovoked insult directed at Cart Tart and may I say other FA's.

"If" you work for an airline in ANY capacity may I remind you that by and large it is the efforts of FA"s that determine passenger satisfaction.

You do sound like a very unhappy camper. Good luck.























:ok:

[Cart_tart]

Thanks for sticking up L2P!

For your information BEER CAN DREAMING - I am currently a FA with a subsidiary. I have been for a fair number of years. We don't have progression like other subsidiaries, so we apply to join mainline like everyone else off the street. I was lucky enough to be selected for the "shortlist" . I have been on this shortlist for 12 months. It was originally to be 6 months, then we were all extended to 12mths. It expires in 2 weeks. I have been informed by sources that the shortlist will not be renewed when it expires, that QF will not be recruiting any fulltime or permanent positions for the next 4 - 5 years and that all future longhaul recruiting will be contract labour through ADECCO. IE THAI AND KIWI NATIONALS! So, they are blatantly not giving me a position in favour of recruiting crews based overseas and paying them a pittance. I am obviously not the only one in that position. They are taking away jobs from hundreds (yes there are a couple of HUNDRED on the list) of Australians who could do the job just as well, if not better than the outsourced crew.
Perhaps you should know the facts before you go mouthing off next time!
CT
PS - we know how to make GREAT sandwiches! Better check the contents of yours next time!:ok: