• Heartwarming new animated spot follows two nutcracker bear ornaments on their intrepid journey to be reunited
• Spot features musical talent of Charlotte Cardin covering two classic hits by Jean-Pierre Ferland and Bryan Adams

MONTREAL, Dec. 7, 2023 /CNW/ - In keeping with tradition, Air Canada is again weaving festive magic into the hearts of Canadians this year with the launch of its latest holiday spot. Released today, the 1:30 minute spot captures the joy of reuniting with loved ones at the most wonderful time of the year.

"Once upon a Tree" is the story of two button-cute nutcracker bears who, after a year of being tucked away together, find themselves on separate sides of the tree. Distraught at the thought of spending the holidays apart, a series of heroic efforts to reconnect include zip-lining along a string of lights and collapsing a gingerbread house. With a little help from Air Canada, in a dramatic and final leap of faith, the tiny wooden bears reunite with a heartwarming embrace.

"We continue our tradition of combining whimsical animation with modern renditions of beloved Canadian songs to tell a story about being together over the holidays," says Andy Shibata, Vice President, Brand at Air Canada. "So many of our customers travel great distances and our Air Canada colleagues all feel a shared sense pride for our role in these journeys. That is the essence we wanted to capture in this holiday spot."

Blending the latest CGI technology with hand-painted brushstrokes, in both the French and English renditions, the creative storybook-style visuals are perfectly complemented by the voice of Montréal singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin, who returns to Air Canada's holiday campaign for the second year. In addition to recreating the enchanting 90s hit "Une Chance Qu'on S'a" by legendary Montreal crooner Jean-Pierre Ferland in the French ad spot, the four-time Juno Award winner also puts her beautiful new spin on Bryan Adams' iconic 1991 classic "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" in the English spot – bringing together two of the country's great classics in a new stirring symphony.

FCB handled strategy and creative, with animation by Hornet, audio by Cult Nation & OSO. The spot is available in 90, 60, 30 and 15 second cutdowns, and will live on both paid and organic social media, Air Canada's in-flight entertainment system, and will also be shown on television and in cinemas across Canada. 

Air Canada recently expanded its award-winning in-flight entertainment offering to include a selection of holiday films, ensuring customers have even more comfort to enjoy as they relax onboard. Air Canada will also be offering a holiday dinner on flights between December 24 and 25, to give customers a taste of home as they travel this holiday season.

Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada's Aeroplan program is Canada's premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada aims to achieve an ambitious net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.

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