What can I say, this ad blows the competition away – which is is exact message and that it has been doing so for 25 years.

It uses a nice simple device:

Great looking ladies in high-contrast stand out red uniforms strolling down the mall with their “James Bond” hero styled pilot.

Heads turning everywhere.

Great backing track.

What helps make this ad great and delivers home its message that Virgin Atlantic is “still red hot” is its play on the nostalgia factor. It uses many devices popular in the UK in the 80s:

• The Miners’ Strike
• Asteroids video arcade machine
• Our Price (Later virgin rebranded “V Shop” in early 200s before vanishing.)
• Police wearing helmets and other dress styles and hairstyles from the 80s
• Madonna lookalike in “Desperately Seeking Susan” garb
• Wimpy (They still exist, but they are rare)
• “Brick” Mobile/Cell phones
• Music from “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood as the backing track

Watch out for the humorous “Who do they think they are?” moment from two ogling unglamourous stewardesses in boring gray uniform. (Now what airline could they be representing? lol)

Does the ad still work well outside of the UK where some of the UK-specific references wouldn’t be appreciated?