The move also reflects United's commitment to the region amid the continuing globalisation of the travel industry. The ads, entitled 'Connected', are the first to be created by Fallon Worldwide's Hong Kong and Singapore offices since the agency established a presence in the region late last year,
Fallon Hong Kong and Singapore managing director, Charles Edwards, said: "As a global brand, United is becoming more ubiquitous, underlining the need to connect with people in as many markets as possible. The strategy, therefore, was to show that commitment through a campaign like this rather than run an ad that treats this market as US-generic."
UA's advertising has traditionally been about being 'connected', a platform that highlights the similarities between different people and cultures rather than the differences. The challenge, according to Fallon regional president and creative director, Calvin Soh, "was to take this platform and create a campaign relevant to Unite's audience in Asia".
United's targets are global citizens who travel frequently and have an international outlook. Fallon partner and creative director, Yang Yeo, said: "We have taken this insight and dramatised it as a means to differentiate United from other carriers in the region, most of which position themselves rationally by focusing on product enhancements or destinations."
Added Edwards: "It was a deliberate decision to stay away from being rational. The goal was to build leadership through an emotional connection and, in this way, we have something which is sustainable and which United has ownership.
"The campaign consists of two executions: 'Noodles', featuring a man in a noodle bar in Japan and an Italian woman in Italy engaged in a tug-of-war through their bowls of noodles; and 'Television', featuring a boy watching cartoons in Hong Kong affecting the television reception of a football game being watched by two men in the US.
