Some light watching for the weekend – and part of my ongoing love affair with most of what Air New Zealand does.

Latest in their subversive marketing campaign is a series of online videos starring “Rico” a creation of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop (yes, they of the Muppets and Sesame Street). Andy contends that;

marketers somehow draw a line between the Internet and traditional media. As if though doing something on the web gives them a remit to be a little more risqué. That boundary departed a long time ago. If you are going to push the brand, push it everywhere

I’m not so sure however – I think a differentiated approach towards online and offline marketing is fine. My experience is that, for Air New Zealand anyway, online is more about brand building while offline marketing tends to be more about selling.

Either way I think the videos are great and I’m a little depressed hat the moral watchdogs have come out in indignation about the risqué nature of them. According to the NZ Herald

One told the airline its marketing was “disappointing” and “shameful”.

Another viewer said the ads weren’t witty or cutting edge – they were just “weakly smutty”.

Anyway – I think they’re great, a achieve he desired outcome – yet again positioning Air New Zealand at he cutting edge of this stuff. Enjoy!