Safety videos of the unusual kind - Curt Lewis

 

Kiwi government criticises Air New Zealand's wacky safety videos

AIR New Zealand's notoriously funny safety videos are so popular, they've clocked up more than 83 million views online - but it turns out the Kiwi government isn't laughing.

In an email obtained under freedom of information laws, the Civil Aviation Authority has criticised a surfing-themed video that came out last May, because it was too distracting.

"The video diverges materially from the 'safety message' at times, and whilst I appreciate the need to engage the viewers, the extraneous material detracts from the scope and direction of the safety message," a spokesman said in a statement to One News Now.

The clip in question runs for four minutes and forty seconds, and is set at the beach. It features some of the world's top surfers, including Aussie Mick Fanning and Sports Illustrated model Anastasia Ashley, as airline stuff run through the airline's safety procedure.

Who would have thought sexy surfers could be distracting?

Attention-grabbing video was criticised by the government.


It's not the first time the airline's videos have made headlines. The elaborately-produced clips are often star studded - for example, a survival-themed film starring Bear Grylls, an old-school safety video with Betty White, and a Hollywood-themed clip starring Anna Faris and Flight of the Conchords star Rhys Darby. Some - like "The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made" - attract filmmakers of the calibre of Sir Peter Jackson, who directed the Lord of the Rings series.

In a statement to the media, Air New Zealand said its safety videos are designed to grab viewers' attention, and are always rigorously tested on audiences to make sure they're effective.
"We took what was an instructional help video and turned it on its head and created really entertaining content that demonstrated the safety messages, and we saw more customers watching them as a result of it," said Head of Global Brand Jodi Williams.

Legendary director Sir Peter Jackson helped create this clip.


But marketing expert Mike Lee, from the University of Auckland, told One News Now that Air New Zealand walks a fine line.

"They have to strike a balance between capturing people's attention and engaging the audience ...
And on the other hand, if you're too far out of the context you'll get the regulatory body coming in and saying it's a little too removed, people might not understand what you're trying to say."

The airline has been making the hilarious videos since 2009, and was named AirlineRatings.com's Airline of the Year for the third consecutive time in December.

The great romance features actress Anna Faris and comedian Rhys Darby.