Etihad Airways has launched ‘Beyond Borders’, a global integrated campaign built around the spirit of ambition associated with the airline. The campaign is being rolled out across the carrier’s owned and earned channels, supported by a significant paid media investment.
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Etihad Airways, said, “Beyond Borders is built around a simple idea: some of the most powerful journeys begin with the ambition to go somewhere you haven’t been before. We wanted to tell that story through real people whose lives have genuinely crossed borders – geographically, personally and professionally – and bring those journeys together through a distinctly Etihad lens.”
“The result is a global campaign that combines powerful human storytelling with the reach of our brand and partnerships. From the five individuals at its heart to some of the world’s most recognised sporting talent, every story explores ambition in a different way, while building a consistent idea of what Beyond Borders means for Etihad,” De added.
At the heart of the campaign are the personal, real-life Beyond Borders stories of the people who bring it to life; each one reflecting the same idea: that one act of courage can carry someone to a journey they were always meant to take.
The five heroes featured in the campaign are not actors. Their stories were selected following two and a half months of global research and interviews, finding the right voices to express what it means to go beyond borders.
Suaad Al Suwaidi, the first female Arab wildlife photographer and conservation storyteller, who swapped a career in architecture to document the wild across continents; Arivu Ravikkumar, Executive Chef at Abu Dhabi’s Erth, who moved from Chennai to call the UAE home and earn his first Michelin star, leading one of the region’s most acclaimed kitchens; Nosarieme Garrick, the Nigerian Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose work between Lagos and New York amplifies African youth voices; Florian Dagoury, the French world-champion freediver who moved to Thailand to master the sport at its deepest levels; and Chun-Wing Lam, who travelled from Hong Kong at thirteen to pursue his dream and became the first Chinese male dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet.
The making of the brand film reflects the global foundations of the campaign. Partnering with local production studios, production took place across Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, New York, Phuket and Paris. Each destination presenting its own unique challenge, whether it was filming in New York two days after the city’s biggest snowstorm in decades, or relentless rainfall days on end during the dry season in Nairobi.
Post-production was also a global effort managed by teams across the map, a Dubai team were working on offline editing, VFX in Barcelona, CGI in Warsaw; in Sydney, an original music composition was crafted especially for the airline’s brand film, and in Copenhagen there was another team working on the recordings and audio production.
The campaign also draws on five of Etihad’s sponsorship partners, each contributing athletes whose own journeys embody the Beyond Borders story. From Manchester City, Erling Haaland features, his own path from Norway and through clubs across Europe to Manchester, reflecting the same ambition at the centre of the campaign.
The star athlete revisits the cities that shaped their football careers. From McLaren Racing, Etihad’s newest sponsorship partner, Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri features, his journey from Australia to the top of international motorsport carrying the same idea forward.
Prashant Veer, Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Gujapreet Singh from Etihad’s partnership with Chennai Super Kings share the moments that shaped their cricket legacies; Elvis Ude from Euroleague reflects on the places that defined his basketball journey; and Anders Antonsen and PV Sindu, from Etihad’s partnership with Badminton World Federation share the ambitions that lead them to the global stage, complete the line-up.
