The AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada's most recognized loyalty program. With nearly 10 million active collector accounts, they’re represented in two-thirds of all Canadian households, and their card has had a place in Canadians’ wallets since 1992.
But as new rewards programs entered the picture; AIR MILES was having a harder time standing out among the competition.
Which is why in 2021, AIR MILES set out on a journey to reposition the brand in the hearts and minds of Canadian consumers with a campaign that celebrates all the little extras in life – something AIR MILES calls “gravy.”
The launch spot, “It’s All Gravy," introduced Canadians to a surreal and whimsical world that celebrates how – together with its partners – AIR MILES can help collectors get a little bit extra out of life.
But AIR MILES couldn’t just say that it had changed; collectors needed to experience these new benefits as soon as possible.
After a year of lockdown, we knew Canadians were hungry for an escape from the monotony of the Groundhog Day they’d been living in. So, playing off the brand launch campaign, which took place in a larger-than-life plane, we invited people to step into the lavishness of everyday rewards with the ‘Carousel of Dreams’ – a larger-than-life luggage carousel that delivered more than just baggage.
The Carousel arrived at Toronto’s Yonge & Dundas Square on October 15th & 16th, and fully immersed visitors in the world of “gravy.” The ticket to the experience? Your AIR MILES membership. Non-cardholders were invited to sign up on the spot to get on board.
Cardholders checked in at ‘Arrivals’ were handed a boarding pass, and ended their journey at ‘Baggage Claim’, where they received their prize. The focal point of the experience was of course, the giant, functioning, 40-foot luggage carousel in the centre of the action. Cardholders stepped up to meet their ‘pilots’, and as luggage dropped down, the pilot announced their prize. The prizing was provided by AIR MILES partners and ranged from everyday rewards like gift cards and AIR MILES reward Miles, to aspirational rewards like a pair of round-trip tickets to Abu Dhabi.
Torontonians literally lined up around the block – sometimes for more than an hour in the pouring rain– for a chance to engage with the AIR MILES activation and claim their prize. And our reach extended far beyond the physical footprint of the Carousel itself. We saw:
- Over 11M potential earned impressions for the two-day activation:
- 5.8M+ potential reach through traditional media
- 4.7M+ potential reach through social content
- 533k+ potential reach through social influencers
- On-site, close to 1,000 people engaged with the brand over the two-day event, that’s more than 62 people/hour.
- And the activation earned a nearly 40% conversion rate for new card signups (38.75%)
Engagement went up. Sign-ups went up. And excitement for AIR MILES went way up - that’s a whole lot of gravy for a two-day activation.