BRITISH AIRWAYS | Surprise Surprise | 1993
What Happened in That Movie Theater? / British Airways "Surprise Surprise"
Something happened in a movie theater in 1993. The title "Surprise Surprise" seems to say it all, but the details remain a mystery.
The idea
Picture it: the audience is in their seats, waiting for the trailers to start. What comes up on screen is an ad for BA Holidays. But it wasn't just an ad. The title alone gives you a sense that something's about to happen.
What happened
This ad won Gold. I'd love to know exactly what kind of surprise it pulled off using the movie theater itself, and how the audience at the time reacted.
Afterthought
In the early 1990s, the relationship between Saatchi & Saatchi and British Airways was at its peak, producing one legendary campaign after another, like "Manhattan" and "Face." "Surprise Surprise" came out of that same era, and it surely left some kind of lasting impression on the audience. It's a real shame the details are lost, but maybe that's part of the power of advertising too: a title alone can get your imagination running.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 1993
