Today, every travel brand in the world is asking themselves: ‘How do we drive more online reservations and revenue?’? Expedia is trying to answer this through acquisitions, with their recent announcement of plans to acquire Orbitz Worldwide for $1.6 billion in cash. With the massive consolidation happening with online travel companies, there is a fresh opportunity for brands to create unique opportunities and offers for consumers to book directly through their channels vs. a third party like Expedia or Priceline.
This especially holds true for airlines. Airline brands such as Turkish Airlines, SWISS, and Icelandair are engaging with their consumers directly, using innovative marketing tactics to drive more online bookings. Here are three recent examples we’ve found particularly inspiring at AMP Agency, due to their integrated nature and ability to connect the digital, social and offline worlds under unified programs:
#1. Turkish Airlines ‘ ‘Epic Food Map‘? Turkish Airlines launched their Epic Food Map competition encouraging global travelers to upload pictures of exotic food from their destinations around the world for a chance to win an international travel package for two.
This is a great example of user-generated content that benefits the brand by being socially sharable and presented in a unique, discovery experience. Each photo cleverly includes a link to the Turkish Airlines booking site connected to flight options for the selected destination. The message of ‘Discover’? is much more enticing than a ‘Book Now’? button.
#2. Swiss International Airlines ‘ ‘The World of Swiss‘? is currently serving up a one-of-a-kind interactive discovery experience that engages users with slideshows, short films, interactive maps and aircraft demos, all designed to demonstrate the exceptional experiences travels encounter when choosing to fly with Swiss. The use of embedded hotspot technology within the content allows visitors to take a deep dive into the world of Swiss Airlines.
With rich and immersive content, the airline is creating an emotional connection to their brand and destinations. Despite the fact the Flight Booking button is tucked away in the accordion navigation, the experience and content is so compelling it creates a strong connection to the brand and destinations that almost immediately beg the question ‘How can I book a trip there immediately?’?
#3. Icelandair ‘ ‘Uber Surprise Stopover’? ‘ Full disclosure ‘ Icelandair partnered with AMP Agency to deliver the Uber Surprise Stopover program, though it’s worth highlighting as a great example of the digital world colliding with the offline world with an innovative, Uber-twist.
The program started with targeted, relevant mobile and digital ads, rich in imagery showcasing the beauty and wonder Iceland offers. During the campaign, as target consumers engaged with digital content, Icelandair launched a partnership with Uber in select cities giving Uber riders an Icelandair ride experience that included free Uber rides, Icelandic surprises and sent a few lucky riders on a free vacation to Iceland, courtesy of Icelandair.
Are you looking for new and innovative ways to engage consumers and sell more online? Leave a comment below or reach out directly.
