Emirates’s latest 30-second television commercial features a cabin crew member in full uniform standing tall on the tip of the Burj Khalifa by Emaar at 828 metres above the ground. She joins Tom Cruise and the Crown Prince of Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bi Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who have also had the privilege to stand at the pinnacle of the world’s tallest building.
The commercial opens with a close up of the cabin crew holding up message boards in a nod to the famous scene in the 2003 cult hit “Love Actually”. The camera pans out to show the crew with her iconic red Emirates hat and uniform atop the Burj Khalifa by Emaar, giving audiences a panoramic view of Dubai’s skyline.
How the Ad was Filmed
The ad was filmed without any green screen or special effects. It was the result of rigorous planning, training, testing and a strict safety protocol. At the pinnacle of the building, the main protagonist had a reduced circumference space of only 1.2 metres at 828 metres high to pull off the stunt. A casting call was put out to airline’s cabin crew team and while there were some willing and capable candidates, a professional skydiving instructor was cast to ensure the highest levels of safety.
Throughout filming and in preparation for the shoot, safety remained the main priority. A custom platform with an attached pole was built at the top for the protagonist to stand on. She was attached to the pole as well as two other different points directly to the pinnacle, through a hidden harness under the Emirates uniform.
Filming started at sunrise to catch the golden hour light and the team, including the main star of the ad, began their ascent to the pinnacle before sunrise. The climb took 1 hour and 15 mins from level 160 of the Burj Khalifa by Emaar and the team had to scale several tiers and ladders inside a tube to reach the top. The team was at the pinnacle for around 5 hours with the stunt woman, wearing a safety harness under the Emirates uniform secured to a custom-made platform that was attached directly to the pinnacle. A single drone was used to capture the footage in a continuous take to film the complete sequence.
At 828 metres above ground, this marks one of the highest ads ever filmed and was conceptualised and directed by Emirates’ in-house brand team with the help of Prime Productions AMG, based in Dubai.
The ad will be adapted for several markets across the Emirates network, incorporating relevant messages for different audiences. The first TV campaign will run in the UK.
Fly Emirates to Dubai and Visit the World Expo
Emirates is the Premier Partner and Official Airline of the Expo 2020 Dubai. Customers can experience the excitement of the World Expo when they travel through Dubai anytime during the mega event running from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. They will receive a free Emirates Expo Day Pass for every flight ticket booked with Emirates.
This offer is valid on all return tickets in First, Business or Economy Class that include a flight to or through Dubai, for travel dates between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022. It also extends to tickets booked through Emirates for flights on flydubai and customers travelling to anywhere on Emirates’ global network with a connection time of at least six hours in Dubai.
Customers will also earn 1 Skywards Mile for every 1 minute spent in Dubai between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022. Existing and new Emirates Skywards members who sign up for the programme before 31 March 2022, can avail the offer on Emirates.com, and will earn up to 5,000 Miles. The offer is applicable on all Emirates flight tickets purchased between 1 August 2021 and 31 March 2022, for travel during Expo 2020 Dubai. Emirates‑marketed, flydubai‑operated flights with an Emirates (EK) flight number are included in the offer.
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