In 2010 an internal scheduled flight was travelling from the capital of the Central African Republic of Congo, Kinshasa to the small provincial town of Bandundu. The skies were crystal blue, with no turbulence or adverse weather of any kind. The plane was a beautiful twin-engine Let L-410 turboprop. It was professionally maintained and in excellent condition. The pilot and co-pilot were highly trained and experienced. So it was a complete mystery as to why this flight crashed killing all but one of the twenty passengers and crew on board.
Initial theories included sabotage by a competitive airline or maybe problems with the fuel. However, when the sole survivor was recovered enough he revealed the incredible reason for the crash to the investigators. It’s common practice, you see, in that part of the world for passengers to take on board livestock as ‘hand luggage’ mainly chickens and the like. But one individual, who was sitting at the back of the plane, took this idea a little too far and concealed a small crocodile in his rucksack. Unfortunately, the reptilian stowaway broke free of its confinement and was now in plain view (presumably on the passenger aisle way). On seeing the crocodile, the stewardess rushed quickly to the front of the plane to inform the pilot of the situation. The rest of the unrestrained passengers misunderstood this for panic and therefore panicked themselves and all rushed to the front of the plane too. The plane was now fatally unstable with all the weight of the passenger and crew at the front of the aircraft. The pilot quickly lost control, the plane stalled and crashed killing all but the surviving witness. Discovering the 2-3 ft. long crocodile still alive in the wreckage local villagers killed it on the spot.
I would suggest, this tale of human action, reaction, and instinctive ‘gut’ reaction has a similar parallel to the current global situation with COVID-19 viral pandemic. A ‘crocodile’ has appeared from out of the blue in all our lives. So, it is crucial we help our clients respond calmly and wisely to the ever-changing reality with relevant brand positioning and quickly co-ordinated advertising campaigns across all channels including website design, digital communications, film production as well as event and production management. Our mission as a Dubai based advertising agency is to manage brands and create brands which are nimble enough to adapt and prosper in a rapidly evolving world.
By
James Wood Group Creative Director