#PoleToPole: An epic world-first – we sent one man from Pole to Pole, completely cash-free, powered only by PayPal.

We challenged lifestyle and travel Instagrammer and YouTuber Steve Booker to complete a marathon journey from one tip of the globe to the other, taking in eight countries, three continents and the world’s most southerly city, Ushuaia, all in just two weeks. Crucially, he couldn’t use a single coin or bank note, with all of his adventures paid through PayPal.

At each stop he was met by local personalities and influencers who hosted unforgettable experiences powered by PayPal. From dog-sledding through the Northern Lights and snow of Svalbard, to a jaw-dropping micro-light flight along the coast of South Africa.

The content created and shared by our influencers and across PayPal’s channels sparked a global conversation, while the news of Steve’s trip captured headlines around the world.

On 15 October 2015, Steve embarked on his epic journey, visiting eight countries and participating in once-in-a-lifetime adventures at each stop. His itinerary included:

• Dog-sledding through the Northern Lights and snow of Svalbard

• Urban exploration in Moscow

• A hunt for hipster street art in Berlin

• An experiential 30th anniversary screening of Back to the Future in Paris

• A “fat biking” tour of Barcelona

• A jaw-dropping gyrocopter flight along the coast of South Africa

• Marching with the penguins in Ushuaia

Steve and the local influencers he met along the way shared daily social posts including: real-time Instagram updates featuring his mesmeric photography, vlogs and Twitter updates. Constantly engaging with our followers and inspiring them on the journey.

Finally, four videos brought the #PoleToPole adventure to life in HD and used to drive earned media coverage globally as we announced the completion of his epic journey to the world.

The journey covered 13,183 miles and eight countries, partnering with six local bloggers and over 30 PayPal merchants to purchase 7 experiences of a lifetime. The content sparked a global social conversation, generated earned media coverage in nine countries and allowed millennials to engage with PayPal like never before, persuading them it is not just an invisible payment platform but a brand that can open up amazing experiences all over the world.

The campaign saw PayPal’s highest ever engagement levels on owned social channels. Steve Booker also saw his highest levels of engagement ever, with his YouTube posts seeing 95% positive sentiment in commentary.

In summary:

• 565 pieces of content shared

• 361 million impressions

• 2.1 million video views

• +28.1 million reached through paid media

• +1 million likes, comments and shares

• 176 pieces of media coverage appearing in 10 countries