benchmark report
airline marketing
invest on board @ slush 2015
tv, print, ooh
going places together
TURKISH AIRLINES There’s an old saying that goes “It’s not what you know, buy who you know that matters.” It seems that airlines have been adopting this phrase as their mantra lately. Many are doing their best to “get to know” the tech, star t-up and creative communities as a means of getting in front of trends, scouting talent and mining for breakthrough ideas. In November, Turkish Airlines embedded itself in the front lines of creative innovation by taking a stand at Slush 2015 in Helsinki. Organized entirely by students, Slush is now Nor thern Europe’s largest tech star tup conference and it is growing rapidly. The 2014 event attracted more than 1,400 tech star t-ups and 750 investors – it’s an event not to be missed by anyone who wants to know what’s going on in the tech star t-up world.
JAN 2016 ISSUE
QATAR AIRWAYS In their booth at the event, Turkish Airlines set up a small TV set comprised of a chair, a camera and a studio light. Then over two days, the airline enticed entrepreneurs to sit down and pitch their start-up on film for the chance to become par t of Turkish Airlines’ Invest on Board program, which sees pitch videos incorporated into the IFE offering in Business Class. Other airlines that have been engaging the tech/star t-up community include Virgin Atlantic – which recently paired on a campaign with co-working center group WeWork – and Delta, which offered customers the chance to win a flight ticket seated next to a rising star of the Creative Class .
After running its ‘World’s 5-Star Airline’ campaign for 18 years, Qatar Airways has launched a new global brand campaign “Going Places Together” [video] . The campaign focuses on the travel lifestyle and on the airline as an ideal connector for the world. While Gulf competitors have recently launched campaigns featuring Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Aniston, Qatar Airways has shunned celebrities in its new promotions, making its customers the stars of the show instead. Featuring sites and a host of activities travellers can enjoy at key Qatar Airways destinations, the 60-second TV spot features a voice-over encouraging travellers to explore the places they have always dreamed of visiting. “Go to that famous city; the one you always see in the movies,” the narrator says against a backdrop of New York. “Hop on another plane and go someplace
else,” he continues as we see highlights of Barcelona—where FC Barcelona players make cameo appearances—Paris, Doha, and Shanghai. The commercial ends with the question: “Where do you want to go?” Accompanying digital, print and OOH campaigns expand on the “Going Places Together” theme, including the hear twarming image of a young girl and her teddy bear holding hands with a Qatar Airways flight attendant as they transit through Doha. The video of the commercial has had over 2 million views on YouTube. And Qatar Airways hasn’t left celebrities out of its promotions entirely. Its latest —viewed over 9 in-flight safety video million times so far—was filmed at Camp Nou and features FC Barcelona’s top football stars.
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EXPERIENTIAL SOCIAL DIGITAL TV, PRINT, OOH
