Complaint Letter no. 1

 First Complaint via AirNZ webpage

Air New Zealand 1st Response 

On 31/05/2014, at 8:37 am, !Flightcomment <flightcomment@airnz.co.nz> wrote:

Dear Ms Schuck

Thank you for your email expressing your concerns with the new safety video.   

As with each of our safety videos, Air New Zealand looks to deliver the key safety message in an entertaining and compelling way, while still delivering the necessary safety messages. As an opportunity to further lift our brand on the global stage, Air New Zealand partnered with Sports Illustrated on this occasion. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine has 61 million readers and is widely talked about both online and by global media outlets. In addition, this video also allows us to promote the Cook Islands, a key Pacific Island destination which Air New Zealand has served for more than 60 years.  

We appreciate that with each new safety video there will be some people who like the content and others that don’t. We have been careful to ensure “Safety in Paradise ” has been produced in a way that is suitable for viewing by passengers of all ages. We were also very careful to ensure that the men, women and children who feature in the video are wearing clothing appropriate for the beach setting where they were filmed.

That said you can be assured your disappointment with the safety video has been noted and has been passed back to our Marketing team for their review and consideration.   

Ms Schuck, thank you once again for bringing your concerns to our attention.

Yours sincerely

Judy McDermit

Customer Relations Specialist | Customer Relations

T. + 64 9 366 2929

E. flightcomment@airnz.co.nz

Auckland New Zealand

Second Complaint via AirNZ webpage 

Sent: Saturday, 31 May 2014 10:51 a.m.
To: !Flightcomment
Cc: Luxon, Christopher
Subject: Safety Video Re: Email to Ms Schuck

Dear Ms McDermit,

I am disappointed to read that you appear to think that the facts that SI’s swimsuit issue has 61 million readers is some form of endorsement for it.  If Air NZ’s target market is “men who see women primarily as objects” then great, but I thought the company’s ethical base was a bit firmer than that.  Would you buy that magazine for your young son?  Your daughter?  Your mother?  If not, please explain how exposing them to the video equivalent of it is appropriate for your passengers. 

Virtually the entire focus of the video was women with almost no clothes on. It might be suitable

beachwear, but I’m not on a beach, nor are you, nor are any of your passengers when watching the video.  By that logic you could shoot a porn “safety video”...

I am disappointed in the video, but am doubly disappointed that Air New Zealand is so disrespectful of the women in its customer base, and so unwilling to listen or learn from what is being said.  This video is not neutral.  It directly, strongly, contributes to a culture where people like Rolf Harris think that any female fan is a suitable target for his attentions, and where women like Blessie Gotingco are vulnerable to random men who think a woman, any woman, is his for the taking.

I spend a lot of time talking up Air NZ as I have found your service second to none, but we are now actively recommending that visitors seek other flight options.

Kind regards,

 Mary Margaret Schuck.

Air New Zealand 2nd Response 

From: "Williams, Jodi" <Jodi.Williams@airnz.co.nz>

Subject: RE: Safety Video Re: Email to Ms Schuck

Date: 17 June 2014 8:24:44 pm NZST

Dear Ms Schuck,

Thank you for your email and for reaching out with your concerns.  I am responding on behalf of myself and Christopher Luxon as my team are responsible for the delivery of the Safety videos.

We take safety very seriously and we believe if we can engage and entertain people and get their attention we will get better internalisation of the safety messages.  That’s job number one and whether customers like individual videos or not people are watching the videos.

By their very nature Air New Zealand safety videos receive a lot of attention and this one has been no different, with several million people around the world already viewing it online, and tens of millions more exposed to our brand and the beautiful destination of the Cook Islands through media coverage.  The sentiment towards the safety video has been overwhelmingly positive in all markets.

Any suggestion that the safety video objectifies women is misplaced.  The Cook Islands as the destination is the hero and we are proud to have a piece of content that also associates our airline with a top brand and a cast, including Cook Islands children, women and men plus our own staff.

The safety video was tested with customers and Air New Zealanders prior to release and the issue you raise was not flagged as a concern.  I suspect that in part this is because through our regular advertising of sun destinations over the years it is not uncommon to see people in normal beach wear enjoying the sun and surf.  Alongside this similar sort of imagery features in content across a variety of platforms everyday, such as tv shows, music videos and promotions.

One of the core objectives in creating Safety In Paradise was to drive demand for Air New Zealand services and it is doing just that.  We saw a significant spike in the sales of airfares in the United States when it was released and have seen bookings direct from New Zealand to the Cook Islands strengthen over the coming months. More people on our planes is great for both the New Zealand and Cook Islands tourism industries.

I am very comfortable with the content of our most recent safety video. I felt it was tastefully handled and the attire for everyone in the video was completely in context with the location.

I accept this may be an issue we have to agree to disagree on.   Thank you again for reaching out to us on this matter.

Kind Regards Jodi

Jodi Williams      Head of Global Brand Dvlpmt | Marketing and Customer    P.      E.   Jodi.Williams@airnz.co.nz