Westjet Airlines: REAL-TIME GIVING [image]

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Online Video
Category: Social Video
Advertiser: WESTJET
Product/Service: AIRLINE
Agency: WESTJET Calgary, CANADA

Client: WESTJET
Product: AIRLINE
Entrant: WESTJET Calgary, CANADA
Type of Entry: Online Video
Category: Social Video
Entrant Company : WESTJET Calgary, CANADA
Advertising Agency : MOSAIC Toronto, CANADA
Production Company : STUDIO M Toronto,ON, CANADA

Team Lead/Sponsorship/Experiential Marketing: Greg Plata (Westjet)
Manager/Community Investment/Sponsorship/Experiential Marketing: Corey Evans (Westjet)
Vice/President/Communications/Community Relations: Richard Bartrem (Westjet)
Executive Producer: Mike Mills (Studio M)
Director: Bryan Reid (Studio M)
Writer/Producer: Brad Cowan (Studio M)
Director/PR/Social Media: Whitney Gibson (Mosaic)
Account Manager: Nadine Rashad (Mosaic)
Director: Ben Unsworth (Globacore Interactive Technologies)
Manager/Public Relations: Robert Palmer (Westjet)

Creative Execution:
The WestJet Christmas Miracle video was filmed in Toronto, Hamilton (ON) and Calgary (AB), 2 weeks prior to launch ensuring timeliness and seasonality. strategic communications plan was executed throughout December, including:
Proactive outreach with Canada’s top travel, lifestyle, trends and news media, and influencers
An interactive press release on Canada Newswire, including the original video, a blooper reel and interview b-roll featuring a WestJet spokesperson
Broadcast media tour, also launch day radio drops whereby WestJet Elves delivered ersonalized gifts along with media kits to top radio morning show hosts following proactive listening.
Reactive media relations within 24 hours of launch


328MM+ media impressions worldwide from 1,600+ media stories (exceeded goal of 26MM impressions by 1,200%)
$0.0001 cost per contact
35MM+ views on YouTube – one of the most watched viral ads of 2013 worldwide (exceeded goal of 500k by 7,000%)
192,500 YouTube likes, 172,800 shares, 9,000+ comments
42.2MM Twitter impressions for #WestJetChristmas and related keywords
Trended in Canada for December 9 & 10, 2013

Action/Business Impact
Comparing December vs. same period in 2012:
86% revenue increase
77% bookings increase
100% WestJet.com traffic increase
11,000% increase of new subscribers to WestJet’s YouTube page


Goal: To stand out during the holidays, create a newsworthy and shareable national campaign that brings joy and happiness to its guests by creating a first-of-its-kind “real-time giving” experience, amplified through a strategic communications plan.
Objective: Exceed WestJet’s 2012 Holiday video campaign in media impressions (26MM) and YouTube views (500K).
Audience: Business & Leisure travellers, WestJet guests, Canadian news, travel and lifestyle media and bloggers, social media influencers, WestJet employees.
Research: To be shareable amongst target consumers, a content-driven campaign needs to be surprising, funny, or exciting and consistent with the brand essence connecting with the consumer emotionally (Mashable).