At a time of year when stress levels run high for travelers, Canada’s preferred airline, WestJet, aspired to spread holiday cheer by creating a remarkable and interactive activation for its guests and employees. With the success of the 2012 WestJet holiday campaign, WestJet set out to create a way for its guests to engage with its fun and caring brand culture online and offline, with a goal to exceed the 2012 campaign results in views (500K) and media impressions (26MM).

WestJet delighted unsuspecting travellers with a real-time holiday surprise that delivered personalized gifts to guests arriving in Calgary as part of a true “Christmas Miracle.” Having captured the experience, WestJet posted the video to its YouTube page on December 9, 2013, and within days it was amongst the top five most shared viral ads in 2013 globally. To further extend reach, WestJet and their partner agency developed a strategic social media and communications plan focused primarily on earned and owned media, including an interactive press release, media tour, media relations outreach, promoted Facebook and Twitter posts, WestJet blog posts, and internal awareness. This entry is appropriate for PR Lions, as the communications plan drove significant views and awareness of the campaign resulting in an increase in sales.

With the support of the communications plan, the Christmas Miracle campaign resulted in 35MM+ YouTube views and 328MM+ media impressions – exceeding program objectives, and contributing to an unexpected and unprecedented 86% increase in sales compared to the same time period in 2012.

The WestJet Christmas Miracle video was filmed in Toronto, Hamilton (ON) and Calgary (AB), 2 weeks before launch ensuring timeliness and seasonality. Nineteen cameras captured the emotional content and the video was unveiled on the WestJet YouTube page on December 9, 2013.

Strategic communications plan was executed throughout December, including:

• Proactive outreach with Canada’s top travel, lifestyle, trends, news media, and influencers

• An interactive press release on Canada Newswire, including original video, blooper reel and interview b-roll featuring a WestJet spokesperson

• Broadcast media tour (interviews and consumer giveaways on television morning shows), also launch day radio drops whereby WestJet Elves delivered personalized gifts along with media kits to top radio morning show hosts following proactive listening

• WestJet internal awareness created additional buzz amongst employees, stakeholders, and personal networks

• Reactive media relations within 24 hours of launch – fielding media requests, arranging interviews and monitoring coverage

328MM+ media impressions worldwide from 1,600+ media stories (exceeded goal of 26MM impressions by 1,200%)

Expected that actual impressions are higher than those measured due to the volume of international coverage $0.0001 cost per contact

35MM+ views on YouTube – one of the most watched viral ads of 2013 worldwide (exceeded goal of 500k by 7,000%)

192,500 YouTube likes, 172,800 shares, 29,000+ comments

42.2MM Twitter impressions for #WestJetChristmas and related keywords

Action/Business Impact

Comparing December 2013 vs. same period in 2012:

86% revenue increase

77% bookings increase

100% WestJet.com traffic increase

11,000% increase new subscribers to WestJet’s YouTube page