Turkish Airlines has a bold ambition: to become the most sought-after airline in the world.

And this year marked a pivotal moment in Turkish Airlines history, as it prepared to move into its new hub – Istanbul Grand Airport - poised to become the biggest airport in the world.

A monumental occasion and ambition demanded a bold creative solution, not just another standard advertising campaign.

The airline predominantly targets frequent business flyers - those with a focus on quality and comfort. Currently there’s a perception that the airline is that of a low cost carrier when in reality it’s service is second to none. The challenge faced was to convert this “value for money” image into that of prestige while also driving a desire to not only travel, but to travel with Turkish Airlines.

We partnered with Sir Ridley Scott to create ‘The Journey’ - a cinematic short film that was impossible to mistake for that of a competitor.

The six-minute film is a cat and mouse chase across Istanbul’s iconic landmarks celebrating the airline, the new airport and the magical city. The film seamlessly incorporates the airlines’ 85 year history, shows off their new brand ID and uniforms as well as new innovations in their business class cabins, all while capturing the thrill of the journey.

“Istanbul is an inspiring city to build a story around with its beautiful topography surrounded by water. The city is a powerful backdrop to the story that brings together the main characters in an exciting and spectacular way, much as Istanbul has done for generations.” - Sir Ridley Scott.

Turkish Airlines has never struggled with awareness levels. Their business problem was that they’ve never been perceived to be that of a prestige airline. It was our role to help them define themselves as a global carrier that created a world-class experience for each and every one of their travelers by creating an emotional connection and desire for the brand.

To do so, we focus on three areas:

#1 Closing the prestige gap - by partnering with Ridley Scott and creating an epic 6-minute film that demonstrated the service and experience Turkish hospitality can create for their passengers.

#2 Creating an emotional connection - capturing the thrill of the journey and positioning the brand as one to take you places, through optimistic, emotional and fun work.

#3 Carving out a clear role for the brand - using iconic settings in Istanbul and the airlines new gateway to the world.

In the lead up to what is considered to be advertising’s biggest day of the year, we launched the film with a series of cryptic teasers online that intrigued audiences, generating conversation. Then on Super Bowl 2019, we launched a 30” trailer to an audience of over 100 million, that spurred them to actively seek out and watch the full length film online.

Over the month of February 2019, the 30” trailer ran globally on TV (Bloomberg TV / BBC / CNN INT / CNN US), cinema and digital placements, alongside OOH work. In the UK and Ireland, the 30” trailer reached over 17 million people, with another 5 million viewers in the USA over several months.

In six weeks, The Journey drove over 37 million views, and counting, generating record breaking search volumes for Turkish Airlines and global fame. After airing during Super Bowl 2019, awareness of the brand grew in North America by 10%, one of the brands key growth markets. Over 50% of the people who saw the trailer sought out to watch the full six minute film, while 76% said it had inspired them to visit Istanbul.

Ultimately, we helped cement Turkish Airlines as one of the world's most creative and prestigious airlines. And had everyone asking “where is she going next”?