While WestJet is known by its guests for creating fun, timely video content throughout the year, it wanted to provide a unique experience for guests and WestJetters (employees) and stand out amongst a greater audience during the Christmas season.
The goal was to create, capture and share an activation whereby guests could truly witness, and interact with, WestJet's fun and caring culture in an environment that is typically slow and dull.
Having executed a successful activation the previous year – the WestJet Holiday Flashmob – it was important that the 2013 holiday campaign and its surrounding communications be even more joyful and exciting to reach a larger audience with greater impact. Furthermore, a compelling idea amplified with a strong social media and communications plan were required to break through the clutter of branded holiday activations, as well as increasingly strong online content shared by both brands and consumers.
WesJet delighted unsuspecting travellers with a real-time holiday surprise that delivered personalized gifts to guests arriving in Calgary via a "Virtual Santa," a digital command centre, and more than 150 volunteer WestJet employees as part of a true "Christmas Miracle." Nineteen cameras captured the emotional experience in which passengers on a flight told the Virtual Santa what they wanted for Christmas, and then when they arrived at the baggage carousel, the gifts appeared for them.
The video was uploaded to YouTube and the campaign included national media and influencer outreach, a broadcast media tour, social media on Facebook Twitter and blogs, reactive media relations after the video went viral, internal awareness at WestJet and charitable partnership – once the video reached 200,000 views, WestJet provided free flights to reunite families in need through Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The content garnered international attention ad became one of the most-viewed and shared viral ads of 2013 in the world with over 35 million views, and increased WestJet's sales by 86%, with bookings increased by 77%.