Airlines can quite literally bring people together, and Dutch airline KLM is celebrating Canada’s mosaic and global reach by doing it metaphorically as well.
In its latest campaign, “Bringing People Together,” the brand tells the story of Yulenka, a young woman who left Mumbai for Canada when she was two and travels back to India to visit a grandfather she has not seen in ten years.
“I don’t think we could have dreamed up a better scenario,” says Julie Laporte, marketing and e-commerce manager, Air France KLM Canada, who says it is grateful to have had the opportunity to reunite the two and showcase their story.
One of the goals behind the campaign, Laporte says, is to celebrate how Canada’s diversity intertwines with the brand’s own values of inclusivity, and to remind consumers that while it is often thought of as a European airline, KLM flies to 162 global destinations.
https://youtu.be/4Etnjk1zXtw
“India was a great choice of location for that reason,” Laporte tells strategy. “We wanted to spark a sense of wanderlust and a desire for adventure, all the while informing viewers about the extent of our international network.”
Last year, the brand released a similar campaign in Canada, with the same name. That one spotlighted three different stories and surprise reunions. She says the results were great for the brand and that this campaign was inspired by those learnings: “We’re still tugging at the heartstrings without being a full-on tear jerker.”
Laporte says the campaign was designed with GTA millennials in mind, but targets other Canadian hubs like Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton as well, where the brand feels the message will resonate. According to a press release, the brand is responding to a strong trend of Canadians exploring their roots and family heritage, and it believes there are many people who will relate to Yulenka’s story.
The airline is also aiming to further strengthen its presence in Canada, and has a partnership with WestJet, which makes it possible for passengers to earn and use miles with the partner airline.
“Bringing People Together” is a fully digital campaign. The full version of the video can be found on KLM’s YouTube channel. Shorter versions appeared on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Vice for a two week span. The entire campaign, devised by agency T1, runs for four weeks.
