BIZ BUZZ: Creativity takes flight in airline videos

Hold on to your tissues. Airlines are not done with tear-jerker videos just yet.

Cebu Pacific has offered its own answer to Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) drama- and tension-filled in-flight safety video, which made the rounds on social media last week for injecting “teleserye” tropes into routinary advisories.

On Monday, Cebu Pacific released its 30th anniversary brand film, “Si Cebie at Ako,” which centers on the journey of an aspiring flight attendant, Anna Faye. Her dreams take root in a childhood gift—a stuffed toy from her father, who works overseas—and a promise that one day, they would fly together.

Subtly, the film serves as a nod to the millions of Filipinos working abroad.

In the two-minute production, the airline weaves in moments of setbacks. Anna fails her flight attendant interview on her first attempt, while her eventual success is marked with loss, as the film implies her father had passed away by the time she achieved her dream.

For Cebu Pacific, the film was more than just an attempt to tug at the heartstrings of flyers. It was a reflection of the airline’s own three-decade journey.

“Through hurdles, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty, what kept us going was the belief that every flight we operate brings someone closer to their dream—closer to family, to opportunities, to new beginnings,” said Candice Iyog, chief marketing and customer experience officer at Cebu Pacific.

So, if you’re done catching feelings from PAL’s “Safetynovela,” Cebu Pacific’s film may be worth a watch. Besides, it leaves viewers with an important reminder to take as the year begins: “Every dream we hold close comes with challenges—but it’s our willingness to keep going that turns those dreams into reality.”