“Give me back my slogan,” veteran broadcaster Phillip Adams says, after a somewhat sweary rant about Qantas.
The man who is now known as the voice of ABC radio’s Late Night Live was once an advertising guy, with a client that was one of the world’s oldest airlines.
“I got the account,” he says, “by proffering the ‘Spirit of Australia’ as a blood sacrifice.
“I suggested that would be the perfect slogan, and at the time it was apposite. I had fond memories, going back to the evacuation of Darwin.”
The Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services – the world’s third oldest airline – has long held a special place in the hearts of Australians, thanks to its reputation for safety and efficiency, and the emotive appeal of its advertising over many years.
But within a few short months travellers have savagely turned on the airline as Qantas struggles with the…
