When Gulf airlines decide to go big, they go celebrity big and their advertisements show it.
But using famous faces in an advertisement doesn't always guarantee results and these campaigns prove it.
Here is a list of airlines that tried too hard... but failed:
1. Jennifer Aniston for Emirates Airlines (2015)
When Emirates decided to go with Jennifer Aniston for their 2015 campaign, they didn't think it would backfire.
Clad in a bathrobe and walking around the cabin searching for a bath, the actress appears desperate for first-class luxury.
The ad no doubt targets those more on the wealthier side, and it is for this reason that a lot of people slammed it for being unrealistic and offensive.
Meleia J., an in-flight service crew member at American airline, Delta, even described the ad as 'hurtful.'
Tweeps accused her of "mocking the poor"
"#RichPeopleProblems"
The commercial was described as the "worst"
You can't blame the poor for being poor
2. Nicole Kidman as Etihad's Brand Ambassador (2015)
Nicole Kidman's 2015 Etihad Airways ad sparked major controversy for two reasons: a) The actress serves as a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and b) several complaints and collected evidence against Etihad's treatment of their pregnant employees were raised.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, even urged Kidman to step down.
In a statement, APFA provides reports proving Etihad's abusive labor practices, highlighting how the airline "may fire women if they become pregnant" and forces flight attendants to live in "confinement compounds."
Kidman was accused of being "anti-female"
People called her out ...
... in more ways than one
3. Celebrity chefs as Culinary Ambassadors for Qatar Airways (2013)
An ad campaign by Qatar Airways entailed gathering several Michelin starred chefs from around the world.
These master chefs were asked to design a menu specifically for the airline's business and first-class cabins.
Indian chef Vineet Bhatia, British chef Tom Aikens, Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and Lebanese chef Ramzi Choueiri were all part of the culinary revolution sponsored by the popular Qatari airline.
The campaign neither amassed dashingly positive nor disappointingly negative reviews. However, it failed to revoke the doubts on the culinary reputation the company holds.