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On April 1 1998, KLM inaugurated an additional,
fourth flight from Sydney to Amsterdam. To celebrate this significant
addition to the KLM timetable (and a substantial commitment to Australia,
in a time when other airlines were withdrawing from the Pacific
rim), KLM commissioned Sydney University to construct the world’s
largest model of a Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet. The model was constructed
over many long weeks in secrecy in the Aeronautical Engineering
faculty.
In order to create major recognition of the additional
4th Flight, it was decided to organise for the model Jumbo to “fly”
under the Sydney Harbour Bridge on April Fools’ Day (the day
on which the 4th Flight would first occur).
A Reserve were contracted to manage the design and
delivery of all aspects of the event, including a large amount of
co-ordination and liaison with KLM’s contracted PR and Advertising
Agency.
The overall event happened to be three events in one,
with each linked to the other - firstly, there was a press launch
in the northern foyer of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. At
the conclusion of the Press Launch, the press made their way onto
the balcony of the Opera House, to witness the Jumbo “fly”
under the Harbour Bridge.
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In conjunction with Radio 2SM, a promotion was run
to win a trip to Europe. This promotion highlighted the “flight”
of the Jumbo, and recalled an April Fools’ promotional stunt
from 1978, when Ian Macrae announced he would bring a Jumbo under
the Harbour Bridge. In 1978 it turned out to be an elephant. In
1998, Ian Macrae and 2SM assured listeners that there would be “no
elephants”! The model had been mounted on a barge in Rozelle
Bay, and travelled under the Harbour Bridge with a flotilla of sail
and powered craft in KLM décor, escorted by the Fire Float
“Shirley Smith” and welcomed by a helicopter flying a
giant KLM promotional flag. On board the barge were Ian Macrae from
2SM, Brady Halls and the Channel 9 Midday Show (who conducted a
live television cross), Nancy Bird Walton, Deborah Wardley (Australia’s
first female Jumbo Captain and now with KLM), Leo Schofield, Rachel
Ward, stars from Water Rats, Tania Zaetta from Who Dares Wins, Maria
Venuti and a bevy of Dutch clog dancers. As the barge approached
the Opera House, Susie Maroney dived into the harbour and accompanied
the barge around the Man O’ War steps beside the Opera House,
where the barge was met by the Governor of NSW, who received a gift
of 10,000 Dutch tulip bulbs from KLM.
After a christening ceremony, 600 travel industry
guests moved into the Botanic Gardens, where a section of the gardens
had been dressed to create a Dutch fairground, with antique street
organs, Dutch dancers, Dutch waffles, Dutch pancakes and many other
treats.
The event was a huge success, receiving coverage around
the world, both in print and electronic media, and demonstrated
A Reserve’s capability to manage an extremely diverse and complex
event, spread over a number of geographically dispersed locations.
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