The Best Commercial I Never Shot

There was a time—long before skip buttons and ad blockers—when TV commercials were worth watching. Actual events. You’d grab a beer and stay for the ads. The Super Bowl. The Oscars. Apple. Pepsi. British Airways.
I was fortunate. I got to work on some of those big-budget campaigns, with legends like Bill Backer—the mind behind “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke.” It was a golden era, and somehow, I had a seat at the table.
A Shot at the Crown (Jewel)In New York, I handled U.S. creative for British Airways. Mostly print and outdoor—stylish, polished, buttoned-up. But the TV spots? Those were sacred. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi London, and guarded like the Crown Jewels.
Then came a shocker: we--the Americans—were invited to pitch a global TV campaign for their business class. Imagine trying to direct the Royal Shakespeare Company... from Cleveland.
London was not pleased.
Our Big Idea: Magritte with a Boarding PassMy creative partner, Seth Fried, came up with a visual gem:
Business travelers, some with umbrellas open, gently floating from the skies across Europe. Think Magritte, but in pinstripes and polished shoes.
Each major city—London, Paris, Rome—would be a backdrop. The floating execs would land on balconies, rooftops, and sidewalks, fresh-faced and ready to conquer their 9AM meetings.
Elegant. Surreal. Iconic. Perfect for British Airways.
The Presentation That Froze TimeI flew to London, knowing the deck was stacked against me. The Saatchi team treated me like a distant cousin who overstayed his welcome. I sat in a side room for hours with cold tea and colder stares.
When I finally presented, it took under 30 minutes. The British Airways clients were lit up. The Saatchi execs? Their faces said it all. We’d just stolen Christmas.
A few days later: we sold the spot.
Even better? Joe Pytka, the most famous commercial director alive, agreed to shoot it. We were off and running—budgets, city permits, casting, effects.
We were ready.
The Flight That Changed EverythingRight before locking production, I flew back to London—this time, for love, not business. My future wife Maria lived in Barcelona, and London was our easiest meeting point.
Since this wasn’t work-related, I couldn’t fly BA for free. I used Pan Am miles instead. Returned to New York on Tuesday, December 20, 1988.
The next day, Pan Am Flight 103—the exact flight, one day later—was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland. A terrorist bomb. 270 people gone, including 35 Syracuse students and 11 Scottish locals.
The British press headline:
“It Was Raining Businessmen Over the Scottish Hillside.”
Our commercial—of business people gently raining down across Europe—was dead before it was born.
Goodbye, Glory. Hello, Perspective.The client called the next morning. Cancel the spot.
Of course they did. And how could I complain? I’d narrowly missed being on that flight. That kind of twist leaves you quiet. And humbled.
Still, I’ll admit: I imagine Saatchi may have popped a bottle or two. It was the last time we ever got to pitch a BA commercial. That window shut tight—and stayed that way.
But deep down, I still believe:
That spot would’ve been a classic.

✍️ Final Boarding CallEver had a project that almost changed your life—or almost ended it?
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