Cummins & Partners has launched a new recruitment campaign for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Queensland Section.

The campaign, titled 'Life off Autopilot', aims to recruit 20 pilots to address a shortage and ensure RFDS can continue to deliver their aeromedical and primary health care services across the state. The campaign seeks to attract pilots away from commercial airlines by highlighting the unpredictable and exhilarating world of an RFDS pilot.

The campaign was created in partnership with director and photographer Andrew Englisch from SAFARI, who spent a few days in the life of an RFDS pilot to showcase the difference between their world and that of a commercial pilot. In the first three days of the campaign, over 130 pilots applied to work at RFDS, with the number of applications now exceeding 365.

"Life off Autopilot isn't just a platform, but a challenge to pilots. With highly targeted and emotive creative, we were able to reach pilots in those rare moments of contemplation and introspection at airports in between domestic flights and in their down time on LinkedIn and social media,” said Sean Cummins.

Carole Tokody, RFDS (Queensland Section) Executive General Manager Commercial and Corporate Affairs, also expressed her satisfaction with the campaign.

“We know how incredible our pilots are and how unique their day to day is,” Ms Tokody said. “It was important that this campaign accurately reflects the immense value RFDS pilots bring to regional and remote communities, and I think we’ve achieved that significantly with ‘Life off Autopilot’.”

Cummins & Partners have expanded their remit with RFDS, with more work expected in the coming months. This campaign is a testament to the agency's ability to create impactful and engaging content that resonates with its target audience, in this case, pilots. It also underscores the critical role of RFDS in providing essential health services to remote and regional communities in Queensland.