Air New Zealand has continued its mission to blur the differences between reality (they fly to New Zealand, and back again) and wonderful, wonderful, fantasy (They can literally fly you to Middle-earth) with this new ad! As in the previous spot, they draw elements from the films, this time referencing The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’s river-barrel escapades. We’re disappointed in the lack of skin-changing bear pilots, though.
This is almost as adorable as Sam and Rosie’s babies at the end of Return of the King. Plus there are appearances by Dean O’Gorman, who plays Fili in The Hobbit, and the whole thing is narrated by Seventh Doctor and First Radagast Sylvester McCoy! And they’re offering a chance to win a trip to New Zealand, which can never be a bad thing. We have to wonder about the logistic of this, though—can you use the barrel under your seat as a floatation device? And would a Hobbit-run airline end up serving you in-flight meals continuously? That can’t be cost-efficient…
Anyway, watch, enjoy, and plan your next vacation!
