Jetstar Jetsocks

Background

The end of the year sees social newsfeeds clogged with smiley-huggy-Christmasstuff.

Jetstar, an Australia-based airline, wanted an idea that would cut through the Christmas clutter.

Idea

Socks are generally considered the worst Christmas present ever. Jetstar turned them into the best present by creating Jetsocks, a $15 pair of socks that were actually a $50 Jetstar voucher. So instead of giving family and friends a dud gift, anyone purchasing Jetsocks was actually giving a flight to Dunedin, or Queenstown or Christchurch.

Purchasers were then encouraged to share a video of them 'pranking' their friends and family with this initially stinky but ultimately awesome, present.

The campaign ran across Tik Tok, Facebook and Instagram.

Results

645,000 views of the launch video on Tik Tok. Over five days, 50 pairs were released each day. In total, all socks sold out in under 10 minutes.

Our Thoughts

The joy of Christmas is in the giving, especially if you can make it look like you’re the Grinch before miraculously becoming Santa when the recipient discovers the socks are actually a flight. Have a read of the book ‘Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion’.

There’s a chapter on the psychology of brand giveaways. Subconsciously the recipient feels they have to reciprocate in some way. It’s why direct mailings from charities often enclosed a free ballpoint pen. Guilt made you write a larger cheque.

Here’s Jetstar using the same technique but more generously and thus a lot more attractively, to build affinity and loyalty.

And the socks are useful too!