Watch: Dubai’s Emirates partners with Thor actor to beckon visitors to Expo 2020

Less than a month after Emirates’ last advertising campaign – a 32-second clip featuring skydiver Nicole Smith-Ludvik atop Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building – went viral, the airline is making waves again.

This time, its for Expo 2020 Dubai.

To beckon visitors and gain traction for the six-month mega event scheduled to begin on October 1, the airline has launched a new global campaign featuring method actor Chris Hemsworth against a backdrop of ultra-futuristic themes and visuals.

“In 2019, I partnered with Emirates and Expo 2020 Dubai to help bring awareness to what is a really important event for the world,” commented Chris Hemsworth.

“We all have the power to shape a better future, and the last year and a half has shown us that the possibilities are endless when we put our minds together. At Expo 2020 Dubai, the world will come together in the spirit of collaboration to provide real life solutions that will benefit future generations.

“If you’re able to travel and you feel it’s safe, I sincerely hope you can make it,” the Thor actor added.

In 2019 I partnered with @Emirates and @EXPO2020Dubai to help bring awareness to what is a really important event for the world. If you are able to travel and you feel it’s safe, I sincerely hope you can make it.#FlyEmiratesFlyBetter #Expo2020 pic.twitter.com/BhF2XSuWlL

— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) September 7, 2021

Conceptualised and filmed prior to the Covid-19 pandemic for the original opening date of Expo 2020 Dubai, the ad aims to convey a spirit of innovation and creativity, and the drive to create a better future, underpinned by a myriad of computer-generated imagery (CGI) animations and visuals.

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “We partnered with Emirates to produce a bold and exciting campaign that we believe will resonate with audiences around the world, and inspire them to come and experience Expo 2020 Dubai for themselves.

“Expo 2020 Dubai will be one of the greatest must-see events in the world. In addition to impressive marquee pavilions that immerse visitors in the themes of mobility, sustainability and opportunity, and 191 amazing country pavilions, there will also be an unforgettable celebration of music, art and culture with a packed entertainment programme, unique culinary experiences, and much more.

Before anyone heard of COVID-19 and @Expo2020Dubai was still under construction, we teamed up with @ChrisHemsworth and created this commercial.

We are so excited that Expo 2020 Dubai is finally here. We hope you enjoy it and hope to see you there.#FlyEmiratesFlyBetter pic.twitter.com/tOLbwWy101

— Emirates Airline (@emirates) September 7, 2021

During the 90-second video, Hemsworth transports viewers from the beaches of Dubai, through its skyline to the Expo 2020 Dubai site, bringing to life the event’s signature mobility, sustainability, and opportunity pavilions, as well as offering a glimpse of the participating country pavilions.

The ad was directed by Robert Stromberg, whose film credits include Avatar, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, and Disney’s Maleficent, with the graphics accorded by visual effects and production company MPC (Moving Picture Company). The musical soundtrack for the campaign, ‘Pure Imagination’, was reworked, modified and reinterpreted by a 70-piece orchestra and features a children’s choir.

Emirates is the official airline of Expo 2020 Dubai, and recently launched an exclusive offer whereby its customers visiting or travelling through Dubai, anytime from October 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022, will be eligible to receive a free Emirates Expo Day Pass for every flight ticket booked with the airline. The offer is applicable across all classes and extends to tickets booked through Emirates for flights on flydubai and customers travelling to anywhere on its global network with a connection time of at least six hours in Dubai.