Shangri-La depicts fantastical new world to re-engage travellers

To many, the ultimate travel experience involves pristine white sandy beaches, a spectacular natural setting to situate a beautiful hotel with impeccable service that surprises and delights at every turn. 

Shangri-La's latest brand film ticks every one of these boxes and much more, especially in the surprising and delighting category. An ice-cold blue pool to share with penguins? Check. Clean linens on a sun bed spread out before an azure sea? Check. A glasshouse full of every flower imaginable? Check. A wedding gown so perfect it comes to life? A toy train with a mind, face and smile of its own? We've seen this already on the island of Sodor, but... check.  

With all these incredible checks, who wouldn't want to check-in here?

Called 'Find Your Shangri-La,' the stunning work is the product of McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia, together with director, Dave Meyers. It's a work of fantasy eye-candy in which the viewer follows a lovely peony around a magical hotel that springs new life around every corner with unexpected delights to the tune of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'.

Rather than pitch post-pandemic travellers on the amenities or service of Shangri-La itself, the aim here to spark new joy in travel and adventure. 

“We started with a beautiful truth about Shangri-La’s hospitality experience - luxury is best expressed as personal moments of joy," said Brandon Cheung, regional director of global clients and business leadership at McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific. "This gave us tremendous creative license to push the imagination and create a magical, whimsical world with Shangri-La in film.”

Ad Nut's own personal Shangri-La is in a pristine forest with less manicuring and more natural beauty. Ad Nut is also well aware that images of excessive luxury that aim to artificially construct natural settings (hello Antarctic pool) don't always go over well with all consumer groups these days.

In this case, however, the imagery is clearly and deliberately surreal. This is not a depiction of a Shangri-La hotel. But it is the depiction of what could be someone's Shangri-La in a dream world free of care and consequence.

As such, Ad Nut admires the film craft and elevated production values here and is happy enough to go along for the ride. 

CREDITS

Creative Agency - McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia
Wen Louie - Executive Creative Director/Copywriter
Anthony Yeung – Associate Creative Director/Art Director
Andrea Ferronato – Head of Production, Craft Sea
Brandon Cheung – Regional Director, Global Clients & Business Leadership

Production Company - Radical Media London
Dave Meyers – Film Director\
Ben Schneider – Executive Producer

Visual Effects - The Mill
Jim Radford - On Set VFX Supervisor
Jake Nelson - Lead VFX Supervisor
Fernando Tortosa – Lead CGI Supervisor
Clementine Supiot – Lead Animator

Music Production House – Ultrabeing
Producer/Arranger/Composer – Allan Brearley
Singer - Momo