The latest ad for Emirates has gone viral as people were speculating whether it was a real stunt. On this ad an Emirates cabin crew member in full uniform is standing on the tip of the Burj Khalifa at 828 metres above ground, basically on top of the world.
This ad marks one of the highest ads ever filmed, according to Emirates, and was directed by Emirates’ in-house brand team with Prime Productions AMG, helicopter and drones filming company Choppershoot and TECS Event Services.
The cabin crew, skydiver and stuntwoman Nicole Smith-Ludvik, joins a handful of individuals making it to the pinnacle of the world’s tallest building, which includes Tom Cruise and the Crown Prince of Dubai, H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The ad opens with a close up of the stuntwoman with message boards commenting on the recent addition of the UAE to the UK’s amber list. As the camera zooms out we can see she is actually on top of the world on top of Burj Khalifa. The ad and the behind the scenes video are available on the Emirates YouTube channel and across the airline’s other social media channels.
The ad was filmed with all the safety protocols and rigorous planning, without any special effects, where the protagonist was standing in a circumference of only 1.2 metres but using a harness hidden under the uniform that was attached to a pole.
The video was filmed at sunrise to catch the golden hour light, which meant the team had to start the ascent before sunrise, climbing for an hour and 15 minutes from level 160 of the Burj Khalifa by Emaar. The filming took around five hours where the stunt woman was secured on a custom-made platform that was attached to the pinnacle. The shot was taken with a drone in a continuous take for the complete sequence.
“We always look to challenge the norm and push boundaries at Emirates. We do it every day through our innovative services, our best in class product and of course through our advertising. The calm and confidence of the cabin crew you see in the ad is an embodiment of our frontline team, serving travellers and ensuring their safety. We’re proud to be among a privileged few who have been allowed to film at the top of the Burj Khalifa by Emaar; and even prouder that we get to showcase our beautiful city, Dubai,” said Sir Tim Clark, president Emirates Airline.
