If you travel by air a lot, you’ve seen them a million times. Maybe five million times. Those talking heads on the safety video that play as you leave the gate. Now, before everyone gets riled up, I know there’s a reason for those safety videos. Because, “to reinforce what you already know”…. Ever since reading “The Survivor’s Club“, I admit I do pay much more attention to my surroundings on the plane, no matter how familiar I am with it, but you must admit, those videos aren’t exactly state-of-the-art productions. Nor do they make you take notice and pay attention.
Air New Zealand has taken a “fresh” approach to safety videos over the past couple years. I think they’ve recognized that most people just don’t pay attention to them. A few months ago, we posted one of their safety videos right here. Now, they’ve done another round of updates, this time featuring Richard Simmons and a few other New Zealand celebrities. While some may look at them and say they’re having fun with a serious issue, let’s face it…they do get you to pay attention and they probably have a lot more people who actually understand the message because it’s not the same old safety video. So, wake up you stodgy US airline executives (except Southwest, of course) and take a hint from ANZ. Modernize those safety videos and you may just find your passengers actually know what to do in case of an emergency instead of just ignoring them as many do today.
Last modified: December 30, 2013