Air New Zealand has chosen consultancy Diffusion to develop an integrated communication campaign across mainstream media and drive social media strategy. Last year Air New Zealand was recognised by the World Travel Awards as Australasia’s Leading Airline.

The campaign will focus strongly on articulating and building the airline’s brand both with a spotlight on quality of service, new in flight features and amplifying Air New Zealand’s ‘Forget all you know about flying’ marketing campaign.

Diffusion will run a sustained media relations and online influencer campaign to promote Air New Zealand’s two basic routes from London Heathrow to Los Angeles and Hong Kong as well as directions to destination New Zealand.

Work will begin with promoting the airline’s acclaimed new Skycouch and Spaceseat products that were introduced to London routes in April.

Skycouch is a new design that is revolutionising ‘economy’ air travel by turning three individual seats on a Boeing 777 into a single ‘skycouch’, to give couples and those travelling with children a more flexible space when flying.  The seats are already becoming affectionately known as ‘Cuddle Class’.

Air New Zealand has developed a strong reputation for its use of video virals, and Diffusion will drive online seeding and media amplification of video campaigns as well developing concepts for future digital campaigns.

A new in-flight safety video ‘Fit to Fly’ follows on from the airline’s hugely successful Nothing to Hide and Bare Essentials of Safety inflight video campaigns which have totalled more than 12 million views on YouTube to date.