Air New Zealand's hilarious 'advert' for Head of Safety Videos after being slammed for safety rap

Kings, Julian Dennison and Randa appear in Air New Zealand's safety rap video.

After Air New Zealand pulled its latest controversial safety rap video and received heavy criticism for it the airline company is "advertising" for a Head of Safety Videos.

Air New Zealand has shared a tongue in cheek advert on Facebook, revealing how the new employee will have a "tough act to follow" after the success of their previous It's Kiwi Safety video.

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Posted by Air New Zealand on Thursday, 31 January 2019

"Following the phenomenal success of our latest It's Kiwi Safety (don't just read the comments online) we're looking for someone to lead our team in creating out next crowd-pleasing safety demonstration," the advertisement reads.

"With more than 21 millions online vies and a bunch of positive comment on Facebook (thanks Mum), It's Kiwi Safety will be a tough act to follow. Loved for its music, as well as for the clarity of it safety instructions, we are now looking for new ideas that will garner even more admiration from New Zealanders and visiting US rappers (just don't read their comments online)."

People online have praised Air New Zealand for the cheeky advert.

"Kudos to you Air NZ, you just flipped that brilliantly. Give your marketing gurus a pat on the back for that come back!", one person wrote.

Another agreed saying: "Nice you can have a laugh at yourselves. Well done."

"The ability to laugh at yourselves is truly awesome and very Kiwi!," one person commented.

Even though the advertisement "boasts" the rap safety video, which features local musicians Kings, Randa and Theia rapping about plane safety over beats from Run DMC and Sisters Underground, it has been removed from flights and been replaced by a previous video.

Air New Zealand says its decision is based on a new campaign to stimulate domestic travel and promote tourism to Northland.

The previous video's axing comes after rapper Denzel Curry, one of the headlining performers at Auckland's Laneway Festival on Monday, criticised the video which screened before a flight to Australia.

Others to have commented include hip-hop singer Anderson .Paak and the tour manager for actor and rapper Donald Glover.

A scathing Herald column called the safety video "unbearable" and called for the clip to disappear before it affected the careers of the artists involved.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones also wasn't a fan of the video.

"I don't want to be too petty," Jones said in November.

"But the reality is the [video] trivialises safety; I think it's a juvenile mishmash and it's toneless."

He said at the time that he had sat next to quite a few tourists on planes, many of whom were confused by the video.

"Based on my quite scientific assessment of travellers' views about that video, I have never heard the F-word more frequently and they're not saying 'first class'."

Although not a fan of this video, Jones had enjoyed some of Air NZ's previous safety videos - including the one now making a return.

"I liked the one about up North, the one with Rachel Hunter, her hanging out with the Maoris," he said.