It has been a long slog of hardship, hate and harrowing news about the planet but Virgin Atlantic is offering a piece of hope – you. The new campaign, A Rainbow in the Clouds, by Lucky Generals, invites people to find joy through having an open heart and a generous spirit. The hero commercial, shot by Nikolai Fuglsig, features rare archival audio of Maya Angelou talking about “being a rainbow in the clouds” in a seldom-heard interview.
“I’ve had clouds, but I’ve had so many rainbows,” she begins. “And the thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so that you can be rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.” As she speaks, the film inspires its viewers with spontaneous acts of kindness – a business traveller offering their fan to someone in need, joyful moments of connection, such as a jaw-dropping cricket catch in the sea, and captures how Virgin Atlantic’s crew and customers move through the world with a spirit of generosity, fun and flair.
The campaign builds on the success of predecessor, See the World Differently, shifting the spotlight from who Virgin Atlantic is to where it can take you – all while carrying its signature spirit of openness and positivity into the world. The film champions Virgin Atlantic’s spirit of openness and travelling with a restless energy, presenting destinations not just as dots on a map but as places to dive into fully and embrace with energy.
The campaign has launched in the UK and US, and covers film, OOH, press, digital and social. The OOH, shot by Tom Van Schelven, features the crew as an embodiment of Angelou’s words, the iconic red Vivienne Westwood uniform creating a literal rainbow in the clouds as they stride through New York. A take-over of London’s Bond Street tube station will bring the work to life where Virgin Atlantic will surprise commuters with the opportunity to pack their bags and fly that weekend on a spontaneous trip to New York.
Virgin Atlantic and Lucky Generals worked with The Diversity Standards Collective to ensure the people and places that featured in the campaign were represented positively and progressively. Via the DSC’s Targeted Community Research and Testing Platform they conducted a series of Professional Community Councils across multiple countries in order to receive both industry experience and lived experience at key stages within the creative process.
Annabelle Cordelli, senior vice president global marketing at Virgin Atlantic, stated, “We are incredibly excited to share the next chapter of our Virgin Atlantic story which showcases what makes Virgin Atlantic different. Our new global brand campaign “Be a Rainbow” captures that distinctive Virgin Atlantic energy and the red spirit of our cabin crew, taking our customers to some of the world’s most desirable destinations.
“Maya Angelou’s distinctive voice and beautiful words resonate with all of us at Virgin Atlantic, her voiceover encapsulates how we see the world differently, encouraging our customers to travel with an open heart and an open mind as they take on the world.”
Joe Stamp and Tom Prendergast, creative directors at Lucky Generals, added, “When the world seems full of clouds, we need Maya Angelou to remind us how powerful it is to be a rainbow.”
Credits:
Creative Agency: Lucky Generals
Media: PHD UK
Adaptation: Artbot
Social & Press: Jellyfish
Production Company: MJZ
Director: Nicolai Fuglsig
Producer – Genevieve Simmers
Editing: Final Cut
Offline Editor: Rick Russell
Post Production: 1920
Colourist: Kai Van Beers
VFX Supervisors; Jamie Stitson & Mike Farrar
Post Production Producer: David Keegan
Sound Design: Factory Studios
Sound Producer: Olivia Endersby
Sound Engineers: Anthony Moore & Jack Hallett
Music Supervisor: Finger Music
