Saudia, the national airline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has unveiled a short new promotional film in conjunction with its strategic partners Newcastle United Football Club and Formula E Racing. Saudia’s debut in cross-partnership storytelling through the promotional film, titled ‘Take Your Seat’, is aimed at “signifying its commitment to uniting its partners just as seamlessly as it brings together its customers all around the world,” according to the carrier.
The film follows a mysterious racing driver, dressed head to toe in Saudia-branded Formula E racing attire, on a unique journey starting onboard a Saudia aircraft and finishing at St James Park, the home of Newcastle United in the northeast of England.
The adventure, which also features 100 Newcastle United fans and a star cast including three Premier League footballers, takes viewers through eight distinct locations as the film’s protagonist expertly navigates the GEN3 car around serene lakes, through a shopping arcade in Newcastle city center and along scenic urban roads, arriving at St James Park just in time for the kick-off of a Newcastle United match.
With over 30 hours of footage captured by ground units, tracking vehicles, onboard cameras, and drones, the carrier describes the result as a “cinematic masterpiece set to captivate audiences worldwide”.
The film was directed by Phil Churchward, a former series director of the internationally recognized BBC TV motoring program ‘Top Gear’ and Amazon Prime’s ‘The Grand Tour’. Churchward was supported in the making of the film by director of photography Ben Joiner, known for his work on the race sequences for the movie ‘Rush’, along with professional racing driver Nikki Faulkner, who has featured in Hollywood movies ‘Mission: Impossible’ and ‘Gran Turismo’ among others.
“This film exemplifies Saudia’s commitment to innovation and collaboration,” said Khaled Tash, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Saudia. “Sport has such a unique power to bring people together and through exciting projects like this we’re committed to bringing fans of both Newcastle United and Formula E closer to the sports they love.”
“Formula E stands at the forefront of sustainable innovation and so we are thrilled to work with Saudia and Newcastle United in highlighting our unique and exciting sport,” added Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E. “As the wheels of Formula E race alongside the iconic wings of Saudia and the passionate spirit of Newcastle United, our collaboration showcases the possibilities for when organizations come together with a shared vision.”
“Newcastle United provides the perfect platform for Saudia to engage with sports fans around the world,” commented Peter Silverstone, Chief Commercial Officer of Newcastle United. “This Formula E collaboration shows how we can elevate the airline’s presence across different sectors.”
“Newcastle United has a global following in all of the markets that Formula E is taking its race meetings to, whether it’s the Middle East, North America or Asia. Our supporters will love seeing this video. It not only highlights the football club and our ambition to engage with supporters around the world, but it also showcases the Northeast of England and how special this part of the world really is,” Silverstone concluded.
Saudia describes its long-term sponsorship deals with Formula E and Newcastle United as holding significant strategic value within its portfolio of sports partnerships.
With the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aiming to enhance its global presence by showcasing the country’s offerings on an international stage going forward, the possible benefits of Saudia’s link-up with such high-profile sports teams are plain to see. This three-way collaboration is aimed at creating a platform to “engage fans and foster shared experiences, creating life-long memories,” the airline says.
