As I watched the KLM advertisement below commemorating its 100th anniversary, I broke down in tears.
Go ahead, watch it before you read my commentary. But grab a tissue. You’ve been warned.
There are so many things I love about this ad. The music. The uniforms. Of course, the airplanes. We, as human beings, have come so far over the last century in terms of aviation.
But it’s the theme of family that struck me most…the same feeling as One Mile at a Time that this life so quickly passes us by.
The multi-generational storyline is beautiful. I love how a little girl looks up at the clouds and dreams of flying then becomes a flight attendant. She gives birth to a daughter who also becomes a flight attendant. She gives birth to a girl who becomes a pilot…and everything comes full circle when the pilot clutches a picture of her grandmother as she sits in the cockpit.
But did you also notice that the couple at 0:24 boarding the Viscount 800 in 1949 is the same couple seated on the 747-200 at 0:57 in 1975? Yes, I know the 747 has a circular staircase…one small error in an otherwise flawless film.
CONCLUSION
Honestly, I cannot think of an ad that has pulled on my heartstrings like this one. It’s a masterpiece that fills my heart with thanksgiving. I’m thankful for the incredible opportunities I have had to fly (and hope they continue). I am also thankful for the continuity of things that I love, not just airlines. Most of all, I am thankful for a mother’s love, which I saw in my own grandmothers, see in my mother, and now see in my wife as she looks adoringly at my son.
Have you seen a better airline ad than this? Happy Birthday KLM!
Well, there’s this United TV ad, released after Sept 11:
Nice ad (haven’t seen it before), but it did not make me cry.
Do all versions of the 747 have a spiral staircase? And was there an option for a straight one? I seem to remember seeing straight ones and this website has a pic of a straight one in KLM baby blue.
https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764679
No, several airlines flew variations with straight stairs. It was an option in the fit-out.
NWA’s 747-151’s and 747-251’s at least initially had spiral staircases, while the 747-451’s at delivery had a straight staircase.
Perhaps that’s true of all airlines, on reflection, at least for the 100/200…and the straight stairs only became possible with the stretched upper deck in the 300/400.
Made me smile at least. Three generations of my family work/ed for BA.
Why, you old softie! You made my day.
Nice video indeed Matthew, but the one that still pulls at my heart strings is the BA one ‘Visit Mum” done some years ago. Here’s its link, I think it speaks for itself why is so relatable, enjoy it!
https://youtu.be/WPcfJuk1t8s
This one made me cry too! Another one of my absolute favorites.
Thank you so very much for sharing.
I remember way back this Emirates ad always impressed me. Great message “when was the last time you did something for the first time?”
Yesss! I can never forget this ad. The tagline is still in mind all these years later! But I had forgotten which airline had aired it. Thank you for sharing it once again.