Air Affairs
Velocity Frequent Flyer
Issue 54 | April 2020
Agency
CHE Proximity
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer: Ant White Creative Directors: Ashley Wilding, Daniel Davison Senior Designer: Vanessa Saporito
Production Team
Production Company: Dutch Uncle Agency Founder: Helen Cowley Senior Agent: Joel Minter Illustrator: Noma Bar
Other Credits
Chief Strategy Officer: David Halter Chief Media Officer: Ben Shepherd Head of Media: Daniel Bradley Media Product Executive: Cam Toohey Investment Manager: Elizabeth Lonsdale Client Partner: Katie Dally Group Account Director: Sam McGown Senior Account Manager: Laura Eagleton Account Manager: Brandon Rahme Client: Velocity Frequent Flyer Chief Marketing Officer: Dean Chadwick Head of Customer Marketing: Steve Baird Innovation Lead: Ella Gowland Modelling and Insight Specialist: Tracey Lam
Date
October 2019 - November 2019
Background
In 2019, Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer loyalty program hit 10 million members. To celebrate, Velocity looked back on how members had been using the program, uncovering some striking parallels between their behaviour and current world affairs. Partnering with renowned artist Noma Bar, the illustrations brought to life these coincidences in a nationwide OOH campaign, with each ad relevant to its location.
Idea
The idea was to look to the behaviour of Velocity’s existing members to uncover interesting stories of how members were being paid or spending their Points. Putting raw data on billboards wasn’t interesting, so to create reach and relevance the idea was to turn to culture in search of topics and trends to tap into, build on or use to make a statement. The coincidences between how Velocity members were getting paid and spending Points, and world affairs were remarkable. Brexit, the gender pay gap, the Trump Asia saga, even the cannabis debate all had surprising parallels to Velocity member behaviour. Using tabloid style headlines and working with world-renowned illustrator NOMA Bar, eye-raising designs were created of Boris Johnson getting kicked in the face, Trump being held in chopsticks and, well, Byron Bay looking very relaxed.
Results
It pays to be brave. Velocity could have used this moment to trumpet the programs growth and success. Instead they flipped the message and focussed on honouring the members who have made Velocity who they are, celebrating their uniqueness in a way that not only engaged them, but entertained them too. It got exposure miles beyond what was paid for with the campaign, being picked up by both trade and consumer media across the globe. Instead of just shouting about milestones, they not only changed their language, they opened up a whole new way of communicating with Velocity members.