Virgin Australia launches new ‘Bring on Wonderful’ brand platform

Following a two-year major business transformation which returns Virgin Australia to profitability, the airline has today launched a new brand mission ‘Bring on Wonderful’ via Special, marking a new chapter in its 22-year history.

Over the last 12 months, Virgin Australia partnered with Special to start to transform what the experience of flying could and should feel like. To put a stake in the ground and set out with a clear intent: create a flying experience that doesn’t just lift you, but uplifts you. To be an airline that not only continues to genuinely care – championing its people and that culture of service that has long drawn people to Virgin Australia – but to also be a brand that truly curates and innovates within the experience. ‘Bring on Wonderful’ marks Virgin Australia’s mission to truly make flight an uplifting experience for all.

Says Libby Minogue, chief marketing officer, Virgin Australia: “’Bring on Wonderful’ starts with our people – because it’s our people and their incredible dedication to our guests that makes Virgin Australia so special. We are delighted to create new and innovative experiences for our guests which challenge the status quo and that is what ‘Bring on Wonderful’ is all about. This isn’t just a brand campaign – we are putting words in action to make the flying experience unique and truly wonderful.”

For the latest hero experience innovation, Virgin Australia and Special partnered to develop, operationalise and launch the ‘Middle Seat Lottery’, which transforms every middle seat on the airline’s domestic flights from the least favourite to the most wonderful. Guests who sit in the middle seat will have a chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of unexpected and wonderful prizes, with a new prize and winner every week.

Says Tom Martin, co-CCO, Special: “To do more than the brand communications but to get stuck into Virgin Australia’s actual flight experience is a humbling but also incredibly rewarding opportunity. It enormously helps make what we’re saying and doing seamless.”

Other experience enhancements that have been launched as part of Virgin Australia’s transformation and mission include –
– Refreshed brand identity including new logo and design system, rolling out across in-experience touchpoints on board and in airports
– Refreshed menus, including innovations such as ‘Reverse Kids Meals’ where children can have their meal backwards, with their dessert first, if they so wish
– Launched Virgin Australia Business Flyer to provide greater value and rewards
to Australian small businesses
– A host of significant customer improvements, including the re-opening and
refresh of lounges, with the introduction of new sensorial experience
enhancements
– A commitment to a net-zero emissions target by 2050 as part of ongoing
efforts towards more sustainable flying

These are just the first wave of initiatives, with more roll outs to come.

Says Dave Hartmann, strategy partner at Special: “We’re big believers in purpose-driven experience design, so being able to partner with Virgin Australia on signature moments in their journey is such an honour.”

This new chapter of change for the airline is expressed through an integrated brand campaign. At the heart of the campaign hero film is the airline’s greatest asset – its people, and the commitment to customer service Virgin Australia has long been well known for.

‘Bring on Wonderful’ is part ambition, part mission statement, and part injection of some much-needed fun and optimism in Australian air travel. The campaign focuses on Virgin Australia’s diverse crew and passengers coming together to call for a more wonderful way to fly. The campaign includes cinema, TV, outdoor and digital, with messaging spanning brand as well as key proof points across Velocity Frequent Flyer, Virgin Australia Business Flyer, experience, value and service.

Says Julian Schreiber, co-CCO, Special: “It’s a really powerful insight that the airline category has been by default just aspiring to achieve a nice flight. Virgin Australia being ready to play at a much higher level has given us an incredible mission to work towards.”

‘Bring on Wonderful’ marks the first major campaign since the rollout of the new logo and brand identity developed via Special – borne from the same vision and mission, the brand identity refresh is designed to transform even the smallest of touchpoints into an uplifting, sensorial experience full of personality and life.

Says Adam Shear, head of Special Design: “The Virgin Australia brand identity should reflect and evoke energy and vivacity. Never stale, dull or lifeless – it is dynamic and full of life, movement and emotion. Our photography style and colour palette should make you feel something, with the tailfin device at the beating heart of it. It acts as a window into the life and personality that we connect people to, and it ensures that the brand always has the right energy to it.”

With ‘Middle Seat Lottery’ and Reverse Kid’s Meals and in-lounge experiences now launched, new experiences will continue to be rolled out.

Virgin Australia Group
Libby Minogue – Chief Marketing Officer
Paul Jones – Chief Customer & Digital Officer
Erina Chapman – Brand Marketing Leader
Ali Dunn – General Manager, Customer Strategy & Insights
Alex Plummer, General Manager, Digital
Ange Grant, Head of Paid Media, Retail and Content
Tiffany Rowe, Retail & Revenue Growth Leader
Lauren Barripp, Brand Marketing Specialist
Matt Weston Green, Brand Marketing Advisor
Helen McEnery, Marketing Manager, SME
Matthew Ongarello, Head of Consumer PR & Social
Lauren Hunt, Consumer PR Manager

Special Australia
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICERS – Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
CREATIVE DIRECTORS – Jade Manning & Vince Osmond
CREATIVES – Toby Moore & Luke Thompson, Lauren Regolini & Locki Choi, Jack Wall & Phil Harkness
HEAD OF DESIGN – Adam Shear
DESIGNERS – Abbey Swinn, Maggie Webster
CEO – Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
STRATEGY PARTNER – Dave Hartmann
GENERAL MANAGER – Lily Waters
TEAM LEAD – Rachel McEwen
BUSINESS DIRECTOR – Sarah Calver, Annie Millar, Meri Stewart, Priya Addams Williams
BUSINESS MANAGER – Brynee Roche
STRATEGISTS – Will Moore, Georgia Thomas
HEAD OF FILM PRODUCTION – Sevda Cemo
INTEGRATED PRODUCER, SOCIAL – Steph Wilkinson
SENIOR STILLS PRODUCER – Sonia Ebrington
DIGITAL DIRECTOR – James Simmons
DIGITAL PRODUCER – Stacey Szabo
SPECIAL MADE EDITOR SOCIAL – Ollie Knocker / Fraser Kelton

PHD
GROUP BUSINESS DIRECTOR – Erin Hudson
STRATEGIST – Remi Baker
BUSINESS DIRECTOR – Jeremy Hooper GROUP
DIGITAL DIRECTOR – Andie Potter
PLANNING DIRECTOR – Riya Thakerar
INVESTMENT MANAGER – Hugh Davidson

PRODUCTION COMPANY – Division
DIRECTOR – Sanjay De Silva
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Max Walter
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – Genevieve Triquet
PRODUCER – Sarah Nichols

EDIT HOUSE – THE EDITORS
EDITOR – Ryan Bouchier
POST PRODUCER – Adrian Konarkski

POST PRODUCTION – FIN DESIGN AND EFFECTS
COLOURIST – Matt Fezz
FLAME ARTIST – Mikey Brown
PRODUCER – Isabelle Howarth/Emily Newbould

MUSIC
ARTIST – El Plastico
PUBLISHER – Public Press

SOUND STUDIO – Rumble Studios
SOUND ENGINEER – Cam Milne

PHOTOGRAPHY – Pool Collective
PHOTOGRAPHERS – Ingvar Kenne & Sean Izzard
RETOUCHER – Mark Sterne & Visual Thing