In an unprecedented one-day TV ad timed for Election Day, Delta Air Lines is urging Americans to focus on “our values of respect, integrity and inclusion,” not the punditry, noise, and tweets that have divided the country.
The ad marks a departure from the typical airline promotion in offering a calm and forward-looking message that caps a season of nasty political ads and speeches.
Said airline CEO Ed Bastian, “Today marks an important day for the U.S. after months of punditry and noise. At times like this I think about #Delta’s mission of bringing the world closer together. I’ve long believed our responsibility is a noble one; oftentimes, it’s what keeps us going in the hectic whirlwind of the airline business. The magic of travel is it introduces us to new cultures and ways of thinking, while reminding us we are more alike than we are different. We witness this every day, not only on our airplanes and at our airports, but through the examples we set by living by our values of respect, integrity and inclusion. When you watch this video I hope you will be reminded of the opportunities we have every day to bring people together.”
The ad is simple in its approach, simply showing scenes of America from the cockpit of a Delta jet.
“When you rise above the noise, the tweets, the talking heads,” said the ad from the nation’s oldest operating airline, “what you hear and what you see are two different things. You hear about how we are a nation divided, yet from where we sit, we see no such thing.”
It adds that Delta sees Americans working together and across political borders “all looking for that uncommon common ground. A nice reminder that if you really want to see what this country is made of, maybe it’s best to go see it for yourself.”
