Aer Lingus has enlisted the Irish actor and writer Sharon Horgan to front a new US advertising campaign that uses humour to address a lack of awareness of the airline among American consumers.
Developed by Uncommon Creative Studio and produced by Merman, the campaign introduces “The Irish Airline” as the carrier’s new brand positioning in North America.
The actor, writer and producer co-wrote and stars in the commercial, which was directed by Rachel Stubbings. Media strategy and delivery are being handled by MG OMD.
The campaign follows research commissioned by Aer Lingus which found that 66% of Americans surveyed did not know what the brand was, with some identifying it as a pasta brand, a wrestling move, a type of dog or, as one of the characters in the TV ad opines, “some sort of sex thing”.
In the ad, Horgan meets the Aer Lingus team to discuss how the carrier can make a bigger impression in North America. Her suggestion is to describe the business in straightforward terms: “The Irish Airline”.
The commercial will run across digital platforms in the US, providing the starting point for a broader positioning intended to highlight the airline’s Irish identity, European network and connections through Dublin.
Horgan said: “I am delighted to get the opportunity to work with Aer Lingus, Uncommon Creative Studios and Merman’s fantastic director Rachel Stubbings to bring this funny script to life. All the years of jokes about what Aer Lingus means have finally paid off…”.
Julie Matheney, executive creative director at Uncommon Creative Studio, said: “Most Americans don’t know that Aer Lingus is an airline, let alone an Irish one. So we decided to use comedy to lean into that, with someone Americans already love, Sharon Horgan. Americans and the Irish both love making fun of themselves, so this felt like the perfect introduction for the brand in the US.”
The positioning will also provide a platform to promote the carrier’s Dublin hub and the availability of US preclearance for passengers travelling to America.
Susanne Carberry, chief customer officer at Aer Lingus, said: “North America continues to be a key market for Aer Lingus as we grow awareness of our brand across the Atlantic. Aer Lingus is, and always has been, ‘The Irish Airline’. Our new North American brand strategy is simple: we are just telling people who we are. Sharon and her team immediately understood the idea and brought it to life in a way that is warm, funny and unmistakably Irish. We hope the campaign introduces more North American customers to Aer Lingus, or ‘The Irish Airline’, and of course, we look forward to welcoming them onboard.”
Campaign credits
Creative: Uncommon Creative Studio
Production: Merman
Director: Rachel Stubbings
Media agency: MG OMD
