Continuing a tradition of producing tongue-in-cheek videos for its YouTube channel and other social media platforms that C&L Aviation Group (Booth 2655) started for the 2016 NBAA-BACE, the Bangor, Maine-based business and commercial MRO provider unveiled its latest creation ahead of this year’s BACE with the theme of “Top Gun.” The theme is a nod to the movie sequel whose release has been postponed several times because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The nearly seven-and-a-half-minute video features C&L CEO Chris Kilgour taking his role as “Maverick” a little too seriously, challenging staff to a game of beach volleyball, referring to some staff as “Goose,” and encouraging them to earn a spot on the company’s “Top Gunz” whiteboard.
Conceived for last year’s NBAA-BACE that was ultimately canceled because of the pandemic, many of the Top Gun video’s scenes were filmed more than a year ago, Pat Lemieux, C&L’s marketing director, told AIN. As a result of the cancellation, Lemieux and his team scrambled to instead produce a humorous take on Kilgour attending an empty BACE.
Themes of previous videos have included NBAA as an NBA basketball event as well as James Bond 007 timed with the release of that movie serial. Sometimes, C&L brings the theme of its videos into its booth at BACE, such as having a basketball floor and hoop or featuring a martini social in a nod to Bond. This year, C&L is offering some Top Gun-themed giveaways.
Lemieux said the production of the videos would not be possible without Kilgour and a company culture that encourages its employees to enjoy coming to work.
“Kilgour brings a certain sense of fun and interest to it, and I think it’s fun to show the CEO in that role,” Lemieux said. “I think as an ambassador for the company, he really does fit. We try as a company to be that way. It’s definitely important to have him in them.”
