Multimodality

There are few things more disengaging than a flight attendant standing in the aisle, holding a fake seatbelt, repeating the same script that well versed travelers have heard hundreds of times. United Airlines pushed aside the traditional disengaging safety infographic, taking a multimodal approach in their safety video shown to passengers before their flight. Not only did this video serve as a safety guide, it also marketed the company. Bright colors filled the screen, ethnic music rung through my headphones, and faces of smiling locals who enjoying their culture brought me joy. United strives to remind us of the bliss we feel while traveling. The scenes of color being tossed in India, lanterns in China and big pretzels in Western Europe, while stereotypes, leave you feeling excited about your next journey. 

Watching this video during takeoff likely makes United customers feel as if they made the right choice flying with them. The goal is for consumers to finish the video with a desire to book more flights, see more places and explore more cultures. United’s multimodal approach screams “look at all the cool cultures you can experience, just by getting on a United flight!” This would not be accomplished with a trifold infographic- or even worse, a flight attendant standing in the middle of an aisle demonstrating. 

While the music and moving shots keep you engaged, the employees (or actors) voices are still in a semi-serious tone, giving all the same important safety information you would receive on any flight. Contrasting some of the excitement with regular tones probably puts the consumer at ease, knowing safety is taken seriously. This video revolves around people, which makes sense when you think of how travel brings people together, making the world feel smaller. Multiple different ethnicities are shown, but all in the situations being shown, and we never hear their voices. None of the diverse people are those giving safety information. I found it interesting that all of the United employees are well-dressed Americans, and makes me wonder if this was a marketing technique or unintentional. Either way, human connection is a strong feeling in this clip.

In a similar way as to how “multimodality reminds us of the richness of all texts”(2), the use of music, colors, people and vibrancy in this short video remind us all of the richness of culture, and the thrill we get from learning about those other than our own. United’s multimodal approach is one I am sure other companies will follow suit in.