All of us do mundane things daily. These are things we need to do to get stuff done. There is no way to get excited about them like cleaning the kitchen after a cook, washing the dishes, or putting the trash out. This applies to organisations too. Think accounts processing, payroll runs etc. In the latter most organisations have automated these or outsourced them. But there are still the checks and balances that a human still must do day in day out, month in month out.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised on a recent Malaysia Airlines flight that featured a new video for their safety announcement. I watched it in full, and it left me wanting more. It was well done.

Let’s be honest, most of us never watch safety briefings on flights. In the old days and sometimes now, it usually involved the cabin crew standing in the aisle showing various features onboard based on a script read by their colleague. How to fasten the seat belt, how to use the oxygen mask, where the emergency exits are etc. Our attention was held by the attractive cabin crew. Apologies if I sound judgemental. But it is true. Safety briefings are so boring (mundane) that our brains switch off. But the irony is it is so important for our safety especially if something were to go wrong. Yet we don’t pay attention. Even when the aircraft is different from what we have flown before.

Over the years most airlines introduced a safety video which was even more boring. Watching a recorded version of the cabin crew conveying the safety briefing via a screen in front of you didn’t excite. Especially when the voices were dubbed, and the voice-over did not match the person it was paired with. Facepalm moment. I have flown some low-cost carriers in Europe that tried a variation of old and new and that did work. I can’t remember if it was Ryanair or EasyJet that experimented with this.

Qatar Airways’ safety video involves some footballers and their coach. I am not a football fan and therefore do not recognise any of the players nor the coach. But I get the feeling they are leading footballers. However, I find the video boring. My opinion.

But the latest Malaysia Airlines safety video is very original and creative. It’s a musical performed by the cabin crew (not sure if they are). What is great about the musical is the lyrics. It incorporates the fact that we don’t watch safety briefings because we think we have seen it all before and asks for our attention to watch it. I thought that was genius. And with a good dash of humour.

Calling us out on our idiosyncrasies is a sure way to grab our attention! And, for me, that is genius. I am guilty of ‘never’ watching the safety briefing even in the old days when the captain would request our attention be given to the cabin crew during the briefing. I remember captains emphasising the fact that we should pay attention even if we have seen it before! It was hard work to get passengers’ attention for safety. The irony is that it would matter so much if something went wrong. Yet we are blasé about it.

Kudos to Malaysia Airlines to find a novel way to get mundane yet vital information across to its passengers. I was so impressed that I googled it when I landed.

Here’s the video, so you don’t have to wait for the next time you fly Malaysia Airlines!

So, how can you get creative about your mundane but important tasks?

As always, you can reach me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com

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