After the toughest year in aviation history, Qantas wanted to remind Australia of everything we love about flying. But with thousands of jobs lost, an entire fleet grounded and a whole nation feeling anxious about travel, this was not the time for just another Qantas ad.

‘The spirit is back’ is a quiet reflection of a moment in time for Australia. Inspired by the lyrics of Randy Newman’s ‘Feels like home’ – beautifully interpreted by Indigenous artist Thelma Plum – we combined passenger videos, news footage and new content to tell the story of our national carrier slowly returning from the darkness of COVID, bringing the spirit of Australia with it.