Monday, 22 December 2014

Something for Christmas: WestJet Christmas Miracles Ad

So as it's Christmas, here's my favourite ad of the year - WestJet Airlines' Christmas Miracle. I warn you that it's heavy on sentiment but isn't that what the festive season is all about? It was a close run with John Lewis' ad - everyone loves a penguin love story, a cute kid and a nice tune but this one ticks all the marketing boxes and here's why:

  • They actually rebrand Santa in their corporate colours. Yes, Coca-Cola did it originally and now WestJet has turned him blue.
  • They've done this before so it's become part of the Christmas tradition with customers and people who like to share cute videos on social media looking out for it.
  • Nearly 3 million people have viewed it on Youtube, with over 8,000 likes and only 232 bah humbug dislikes.
  • Comments on Youtube are in a whole host of languages showing that this ad has achieved a great global reach.
  • Although it cost them to create the ad and supply gifts, they fly to the location anyway and their staff did all the legwork - the amount of amazing PR and impressions they get more than pays for the expenses.
  • Corporate storytelling is a powerful medium that builds stimulus for consumers and supports the consumer decision-making process.
  • It aligns itself with traditional fairy tales and storytelling with a narrator and a link to a well-known Christmas poem. We know it's going to have a happy ending and it promotes good corporate values.
  • It also promotes Christian values, which can be important for Canadian and US firms.
  • It's a significant part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility) programme.
  • It has changed people's behaviour - comments such as 'this would be my airline of choice if I'm in the region' have been posted.
  • They fly to the Dominican Republic so it reinforces our understanding of their service and also encourages us to think about going to a hot country for Christmas.
  • It is a universal message so works well as a standardised communication.

Finally, it leaves you with a tear in your eye (even if you try very hard not to succumb) and that's what good Christmas advertising is all about!

Happy Christmas from your No Balls Bloggers!



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