In 2011, 2 iconic Finnish brands joined forces in conquering the Asian markets.Finnair wanted to gain visibility outside its traditional channels and reach a new target group for its fast Asian connections, while the media entertainment company Rovio wanted to expand its Angry Birds brand in Asia with original flair.Whatever we did with Angry Birds, it would have to involve its huge fan base. So, an international social media competition sought out the 8 biggest fans, who would get to take part in the Angry Birds Asian Challenge, a gaming competition at 10,000 metres in the air. The open contest engaged consumers by inviting them to produce content, comment on it on the campaign site and engage their friends through social media.Journalists and bloggers were also invited onboard. A regular Finnair flight from Helsinki to Singapore was then transformed into the Angry Birds’ longest flight ever. Themed decorations and entertainment both at the airport and onboard the plane received an enthusiastic response from passengers and staff alike. Passengers were invited to take part in the contest, which took place on touchpads we handed out to anyone interested. An international media conference was organised upon arrival in Singapore.

An online photo contest further engaged fans after the event through social media.The event was hugely popular among fans and gained wide media attention in key markets. It gained 2,644 mentions in social media, 797,135 views for the promotional film on YouTube and reached 5,604,065

29 August: Campaign website and trailer video were launched online.29 August to 11 September: Online contest sought out the world’s biggest Angry Birds fans. Fans could vote on the best applications by 'liking' them in social media. This was accompanied by social media content and invitations to media and bloggers.20 September at 23:40: A regular Finnair flight set off from Helsinki to Singapore, transformed into a unique theme flight with customised announcements, music, cabin crew uniforms, an Angry Birds trailer in the monitors, special meals and soft toys. Outside, the plane was decorated with Angry Birds stickers.21 September at 16:10: Flight arrived in Singapore, where an international media event was organised at the airport.26 September to 23 October: Online photo contest, where fans used the soft toys from the plane as props. The winner was chosen based on the 'likes' it received on the campaign website

The event created a huge online buzz among Angry Birds fans both before and after the flight. At the airport the excitement was tangible, as passengers were surprised and amazed and the thrilled cabin crew was gearing up for a flight they’d never forget. The most eager participants played through the entire 11-hour flight, the winner emerging just before arrival. Rather surprisingly, the winner was found among the passengers and not the hardcore fans.In terms of raising awareness, the campaign was extremely successful. It gained 2,644 mentions in social media, 797,135 views for the promotional film on YouTube and reached 5,604,065 people.11 journalists were invited on board the flight and dozens attended the media event in Singapore. The event widely attracted the media outside its intended reach, as it gained media attention on 3 continents.The event gained some 300 media hits, and increased Finnair’s online presence.