Amsterdam Schiphol Airport - Destination Unknown

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport - Destination Unknown

Every now and then we feature an innovative campaign launched by an airport or high-speed rail provider which can provide inspiration for airline campaigns as well.

Launched in May of this year, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport’s ‘Destination Unknown’ aims to promote the large number of destinations that can be flown directly from the airport. Pulling real time Instagram content from around the world, the highly visual game – which can be played online or via a moble app – challenges players to guess at which one of Schiphol more than 300 flight destinations the photo’s are taken.

Once the user begins the game, they’re prompted with a series of location-based Instagram images, which are sourced using hashtags from a custom built content management system. As the images rotate, the four-minute time limit decreases. Hints such as airline, flight duration, and local time can assist in identifying the location, but also deduct time from the clock, adding a layer of difficulty to the game.

The style of user-generated imagery also allows game players to see each locale through the eyes of travelers, which led some marketing experts to suggest that future elements of the game could include strategic partnerships with airlines with major hubs at Schiphol Airport (e.g. KLM), to facilitate lead-generation of flight search to those destinations.

Following the game, users are prompted to submit their score into the contest, subscribe to the airport’s newsletter, or play again.