• by Fern Siegel , May 9, 2024

Hawaiian Airlines brings the culture and traditions of the Islands to the sky in its latest campaign.

“Hawai'i Starts Here" was filmed on Oahu. But the lush vacation landscapes are far from the traditional resort push.

The spot, which showcases the island's wildlife, hiking trails and secluded beaches, opens on the airline's flagship new plane, the 787 Dreamliner. (The campaign also uses the island's local spelling of "Hawai'i.")

MullenLowe, which created the campaign, also scored original music, rather than rely on the cliche ukulele and slack-key guitar. Hawaii is posited as a lush experience that rejuvenates travelers.

The work was directed by Thomas Ralph with Gaul Porat as DP.

The cross-platform campaign launches May 11 during Hawaiian Airlines’ May Day celebration at Century City Westfield Mall in Los Angeles. It runs across OLV, social, digital, OOH, and in-flight throughout the next year.

The work dovetails with this month's celebration of cultures within the AANHPI communities.

"Many airlines can take you to and from Hawaii, but only Hawaiian Airlines makes you feel like you’re already there even at 30,000 feet. That feeling is precisely what we wanted to capture in ‘Hawai'i Starts Here.’ By bridging the on-land Hawaii experience with the in-flight journey, we were able to showcase not only their new 787 Dreamliner, but also the beauty and warmth of Hawaii itself,” Elin Lindeberg, the campaign's creative, told Agency Daily.

Some 860,831 visitors arrived in Hawaii during December 2023, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. For all of 2022, more than 9.2 million visitors arrived in the islands.