Greg Foran: Air New Zealand CEO defends splashing out for the airline's safety video

Air New Zealand's head is defending splashing out on a new safety video, as airfares rise.

Kiwi NBA player Steven Adams features in the airline's first safety video in two years, alongside cameos by other notable Kiwis.

Chief executive Greg Foran says this is a worthwhile investment.

"It's an important part of the brand, it's a bit like the mangōpare on the tail or the uniforms - and we're doing a new one and you'll see them next year."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks Heller duple see Allen So in New Zealand's got
themselves a new safety video, this time starring the KIWI
NBA star Steven Adams in the lead role. That's a
hard time buzzer. Adams still in front, Steve, Hey, you feeling.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Yeah, Well, I'm looking forward to the life Jack bit.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
All that does sound really important. Actually, Greg Fouran is
the New Zealand's chief executive. Hay Greg, Hi there, how
did you get Steven Adams?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, actually, he reached out to us. He's been pretty
keen to see whether we could do something. He likes
thee in New Zealand. He flies here in New Zealand
and he reached out to us. And as we've thought
about new safety video, and basketball came to mind. It's
a fast growing sport. Yes, Steve Adams came to mind,

(00:45):
and here we go. We've got a really sort of
quessential iconic KEIW doing something which we think is pretty
good for the country.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
So, I mean, did he know that there was a
safety video that needed doing or did he just reach
out on the hope that one day, when you do
your next one, he'd be Availablesen.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, he was interested in partnering with us, you know,
in terms of the work he does with kids playing
basketball around the country, and so it was wider than
just a safety video. But as we started to discuss
it through within, you know, the safety video became a
very good vehicle, and so that's the one we went to.
And I think it's worked to treat I.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Mean, in the past, you've had a pretty strong relationship
with the rugby guys. Have you heard from them about
how you cutting their lunch with basketball?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Now, no, we haven't, but I'm sure at some point
we'll work out who else we do something with.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
But now it's a good question, how does it cost
to make one of these flash ones instead of just
your stock standard you know, buckle yourself up one.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well, we don't do stock standard buckle euroup ones, do we.
We haven't really done this for years. I think you
go back to the I think it was body painting.
I wasn't in the country, but I hear about it regularly.
And of course we've also done Rico the Raccoon, which
seems to have an interesting history associated with it. Lord
of the Rings rap music. So you know, it's part

(02:12):
of the brand to get involved and be quite curious
and stretch ourselves, so we don't do the stock standard ones,
and I don't think we should.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
No, No, Actually, do you know what I actually agree
with you. I'm kind of tired of this debate about
whether a New Zealand needs to do the safety videos
that were the weird ones. You do them, that's your thing.
But the reason I'm asking is because there's been a
little bit of chat today about whether actually it's a
wise thing to do given how much punters are being
pinged for the old flights at the moment.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, I can imagine that that comes through, and you
know it's one of the reasons that we keep pushing
on things like the airport, to be honest, to keep
our costs down. They do cost some money. It's obviously
commercially sensitive how much we spend, but it's an important
part of the brand. It's a bit like the Mengo
Pari on the t and the uniform, which you know

(03:01):
we're doing a new one and you'll see that next year.
I think you've got to invest money to make a
bit of money, and I think this is a smart investment.
But you know, one of the things I'm proud of
heither is. We've kept it short, and you know, I
certainly watch plenty of customers when I'm sitting on planes,
and I know that they will appreciate the fact that

(03:22):
we get through this one and sort of record time.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah, well, if Bob Jones ever comes back, he'll appreciate that.
Cold play. How are you going with these flights because
it sounds like it's a bit of madness out there.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah. Look, there's about another thirty thousand people traveling this
week domestically, which is up about fifteen percent. And so far,
so good. Pretty big day yesterday. The biggest day is
actually tomorrow, so you know, we've put on some extra
flight and we're very conscious of making sure that they

(03:54):
will operate, make sure we don't can fill anything through
the dreaded engineering weather or bird strikes or whatever else
we have to deal with. So so far, so good,
and it's working well.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
Greg. Thank you as always, really appreciate your time. That's
Greek for CEO of in New Zealand. For more from
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