Air New Zealand Now Boarding for Middle Earth

An Air Zealand flight attendant wearing
elf ears for promotion of 'The Hobbit.'

This past week Air New Zealand announced a new partnership with New Line Cinema, the major American film production studio responsible for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. 

This strategic alliance was announced at San Diego’s Comi-Con festival for the upcoming release of the two-film Peter Jackson epic “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again.”

In a press release from the Air New Zealand website, Sue Kroll, Warner Bros. Pictures’ President, said, “Just as Peter Jackson is able to transport audiences to the magical world of Middle Earth, Air New Zealand brings people to the breathtaking landscape that has been home to these epic productions.” 

The country of New Zealand is the filming location for both Hobbit films as well as the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, which helped to put the country on the map as an international tourist destination. With ‘Tolkien Tourism,’ or the trend of fans to flock towards iconic places like ‘The Shire,' the country has experienced a major economic boost from the popularity of the previous films. The government of New Zealand has also poured in $10 million NZD into the promotion of The Hobbit films around the world, the first of which is scheduled to hit theaters on the 14th December, 2012.

The airline has dubbed themselves the “Official Airline of Middle Earth” for the campaign. As part of the two-year agreement, two Boeing 777 aircrafts will be branded with The Hobbit for flights from the U.K. and North America to New Zealand. The airline promises a unique, in-flight promotion experience, as well as an in-flight safety video with a hobbit theme.

This is not the first time Air New Zealand has embarked on bold marketing campaigns. In 2010, the company introduced a twist to their in-flight safety video called the “Bare Essentials of Safety.” The airline staff stowed their regular uniforms for a wardrobe fashioned out of just body paint instead. This commercial spurred online marketing discussions all over the world and has since generated nearly 7 million views on YouTube. No doubt their new campaign will spark sky-high enthusiasm once again.