Southwest Airlines Campaign Continues Celebrating Ohana Spirit with Bella

Nov. 15, 2024

Over the past four decades, Southwest Airlines has built a brand legacy around freedom for every flier. Celebrating more than five years since launching its first flights to Hawaii, throughout this time, the airline has also been offering interisland flights within the Aloha State.

Demonstrating the brand’s appreciation for the people and communities of Hawaii, the “That’s a Big Flex” campaign, created by advertising agency and long-time Southwest partner GSD&M, has gone extra deep in honoring ʻohana or family spirit. Many especially awesome aspects of Southwest’s service shine through in this year’s :30 Big Flex spot “Cousins,” a series of four :06s respectively entitled “Snacks,” “Sleep,” “Big Day,” and “Kreme of the Crop” – and in “Surfing on Through,” a colorful, localized :60 guide for boarding. Each of these elements, produced by full-service production studio Bella, is set to run on through year’s end.

When Bella launched last year, Partner and Executive Producer David Perry committed to extraordinary collaboration and problem solving. To bring these extra special spots to life, that meant enlisting the talents of O‘ahu-born and raised director Sean Davé, for starters.

Perry confirmed:

“We also partnered with production service company Island Film Group’s Executive Producer Ricardo Galindez and Supervising Producer Krista Carella, who connected us with the very best local talent and crew. This All Star alliance gave us a solid foundation for fulfilling the agency’s poignant storytelling objectives.”

 

In his director’s treatment, Dave began by describing the feelings he experienced reading the agency’s scripts.

He wrote:

“Never in a million years did I expect to see true Hawai‘i-style humor from a major brand. The idea that Southwest and GSD&M took the plunge in embracing local culture – and took the care to actually get things right – means the world to me.”

 

Capturing Hawaii’s Magical Realism for Southwest Airlines

As an ideal candidate for perfecting each frame of every campaign deliverable, Davé’s nuanced vision expressed in his treatment fully addressed all key details. Sharing personal anecdotes and waxing rhapsodic about the crucial importance of locations, casting, wardrobe, performances, and even turns of phrase, his suggestions for authentically representing Hawaiian culture hit every mark. For the production, the director made the case for shooting the “That’s a Big Flex” spots at a single home on O’ahu with an airy, open, and spacious backyard – then paring down to a smaller crew and footprint for the “Surfing on Through” production at Maui’s Kahului Airport.

Tapping his top-tier network, Davé also invited Hawaii- and LA-based Director of Photography Austin Schmidt onboard. Given IFG’s logistical strengths and both gentlemen’s local roots, Davé was able to attend extensive pre-production work including casting callbacks, and both participated in multiple location and tech scouts.

Schmidt explained:

“Sean wanted the camera to be straightforward and specific, allowing the situational comedy of the actors to do the heavy lifting. As such, we used a Fisher 10 with Model 23 jib arm on the house property, and a Steadicam at the airport to minimize our footprint and maximize our efficiency.”

 

The team chose the Alexa 35 for its extended dynamic range and color space. By Schmidt’s account, this allowed them to capture a wider range of contrast in the direct Hawaiian sun, while affording the colorist more flexibility in post. To provide warmer tones and smooth out the in-camera highlights, they used Canon’s FD series lenses.

Perry added:

“During pre-production and production, the agency’s high praise was music to our ears. Time and again, we were told how our commitment to cultural authenticity was the best they have experienced. Together with Sean, everyone at IFG and every member of our cast and crew, we are endlessly grateful for the opportunity to partner with such phenomenal talents in bringing these wonderful stories to life.”

 

For Bella, campaign credits also include Supervising Producer Amanda Dillingham and Line Producer Max Butler. Complete project credits are available upon request.