Since 2018, when it was included among the key products of the parent brand Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Atlantic Holidays has not had a major brand campaign of its own. That period ends with the If not now, when? platform, developed by the London agency Lucky Generals around a question familiar to anyone who has been planning a particular trip for a long time but never quite manages to book it.
Instead of a conventional overview of destinations, hotels and activities, the hero film presents several decisions made while on holiday. Friends travelling through Nevada consider turning onto an unfamiliar road, a girl gathers the courage to ride a horse for the first time, a man stands above a cenote in Mexico, while a woman travelling alone exchanges a smile with a member of the cabin crew.
The film does not reveal what the characters ultimately decided to do. Each scene ends before the answer, so the question If not now, when? belongs simultaneously to the travellers on screen and the audience the campaign addresses. There is almost no dialogue, with the story conveyed through glances between the characters to the sound of Don’t Look Back Into The Sun by The Libertines.
The film was directed by Martin de Thurah for the production companies Knucklehead and Epoch. His approach follows the campaign’s idea that the value of a holiday is not limited to a change of location, but also includes experiences that people otherwise postpone or would not embrace in their everyday lives.
“The most memorable parts of a holiday are often the moments when we try something new, take a chance or simply give ourselves permission to say yes. If not now, when? captures that feeling of possibility,” said Sophie Woodford, Vice President of Brand and Marketing at Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
The creative platform is connected to the tour operator’s expanded offer of travel plans and experiences. It encompasses local gastronomy and culture, wellness, adventure activities and programmes led by people who know a particular destination well. The trips currently presented include a route through Nevada, Utah and Arizona, a tour of Seoul, a stay in Grenada and experiences in New York and South Africa.
The campaign launched on 13 August and will unfold in three phases, with the aim of first building awareness of the platform, then encouraging audience interest and finally driving bookings. The media plan by PHD includes television, cinema, out-of-home advertising, social media, premium content, interactive experiences and partnerships.
Activities will be adjusted throughout the campaign, while the message has already been extended to Virgin Atlantic Holidays’ sales channels. Visitors to its website are currently greeted with the same question from the film, alongside travel suggestions intended for those ready to answer it by making a booking.
