Fly British Airways non-stop from London to Portland. Photo: Anthony Grant

DLNews Travel:

Americans have always been curious about British culture, but how well do Americans truly know the British? British Airways and VisitBritain have joined forces in a new campaign that gives an insider’s view on modern Britain, with all its vibrancy and warmth, to inspire US visitors to book their next visit.

A street scene in London. Photo: Anthony Grant 

The campaign Ask Britain Anything, created with Uncommon Creative Studio, takes a deep dive into 50 of Americans’ most-searched online questions about the UK and puts these directly to British people to respond.

Some of the most-searched questions by Americans included: What are British people like? Why do British people like queuing? Why travel to Britain? What do British people eat for breakfast? Is all British food beige? And, what do British people mean when they say "hello love"? 

The new campaign, which launches this week across the US via connected television and social media, sees British Airways’ colleagues, alongside people from across Britain, answer some of these burning questions. Behind the campaign’s humor is a ‘bird’s-eye’ view of modern British society, with its unique people, cultures, and quirks that make Britain such a special place to live and visit.

Fly British Airways non-stop from London to Portland. Photo: Anthony Grant

“The most surprising question was about British food being beige. I’ve been debating it among my friends ever since!” said British Airways Inflight Manager Jason Consiglio, who participated in the campaign. “Answering these questions allowed me to recognize how much I love being British and the confidence to say how great we are. We’re a beautiful country that champions traditions, cultures, and people. I could not be happier representing Britain and British Airways in this campaign.”

VisitBritain Executive VP for The Americas, Australia, and New Zealand Paul Gauger said: “We are delighted to launch this fun and engaging campaign, inviting our visitors to ‘Ask Britain Anything’ and extending a warm welcome to the US, Britain’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor market. By telling the story of our dynamic destinations and diverse culture, we’re inspiring visitors from the US to explore further, stay longer and discover the new and surprising experiences to be had in Britain all year round.”

The campaign includes a series of 12 unique and original films. Over 70 individuals from the UK's nations and regions were interviewed to participate in the series. The cast included a Welsh rapper, an NHS neurosurgeon, Liverpudlian firefighters, and a Scottish astrologer, to name a few, as well as British Airways colleagues. A selection of the original films is available online through the campaign’s landing page at BA.com/visitbritain.

The British Airways and VisitBritain’s ‘Ask Britain Anything’ campaign is part of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain global campaign. 

Source: Pam Price