WestJet Welcomes Out of Practice Canadians Back to the Skies with the Ultimate Escape

Canadians are turning to travel again and WestJet is ready to welcome them back.

WestJet’s latest brand spot Escape opens with all of the makings of a high-stakes heist, complete with an adrenaline-filled sprint towards a getaway car. But as the spot unfolds, it’s not what the frenzied, out of travel practice quartet is running from, but rather what they’re running to, that leads to a humorous misdirect in which a caring WestJetter saves the day.

“Escape is all about celebrating our WestJetters as the true agents of care and connection for our guests,” says Mariam Wilton, WestJet’s brand manager. “Many of our guests haven’t travelled since the onset of the pandemic and can relate to being out of travel practice. We wanted to playfully remind guests that when they fly with us, our WestJetters will be here to make travel better so that they can love where they’re going."

“It’s exciting to travel again, and Escape captures that relatable feeling.” says Aaron Starkman, chief creative officer and creative director at Rethink. “Heading to the airport can feel high stakes when you’re out of practice and this spot shows travellers that WestJet is ready to make them feel at ease.”

To further support Canadians as they return to travel, WestJet’s Travel Ready video series highlights what guests can expect throughout their journey and how WestJet is putting their Safety Above All.

Escape was shot across two days by LA-based director Leigh Marling and Animals Production in Toronto. The spot was split between the downtown core and Lester B. Pearson Airport. Post-production was provided by Saints Editorial, Alter Ego, and Vapor Music.

The campaign, which also features two supplementary 15 second videos, is supported by a TV and digital media buy from Media Experts that will run starting October 5th.