Air Miles is giving its approximately 10 million active members 19,000 reasons to smile.
The loyalty card program recently launched the so-called “Smile Booth” as part of a new month-long promotion called the “Mega Miles Contest,” which invites cardholders – also known as “collectors” – to use bonus coupons at five participating retailers including Sobeys, Metro and Rexall to receive 1,250 reward miles (the equivalent of a free flight).
In association with TrojanOne, the company has created five “Smile Booths” that will visit 57 partner locations in 22 cities throughout the year. Participants are invited to scan their card and pose for a photo for a chance to win one of 19,000 prizes, including flights, consumer appliances, barbecues, etc.
Air Miles is promoting the initiative with a YouTube video showing some of the more than 4,000 consumer interactions with the booth. A dedicated website keeps cardholders informed of the various Smile Booth stops.
Rachel MacQueen, vice-president of marketing at Air Miles, said the “Smile Booth” is an additional way to bring “joy and excitement” to cardholders’ shopping experience.
“It’s about reinforcing to our collectors that Air Miles is an everyday brand that can pop up and make your everyday experiences a little bit better,” said MacQueen.
Air Miles has also partnered with Pattison Outdoor to display some of the “Smile Booth” photos on digital billboards in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
It is also inviting people who can’t get to a Smile Booth to participate in the initiative by sharing a photo on Instagram tagging @AirMiles_Canada and using the hashtag #Smiles4Miles for a chance to win a round-trip flight for two from any WestJet destination in Canada to a regularly scheduled destination in America.
The Smile Booth is part of a broader marketing initiative that includes sponsorship of properties including Osheaga 2015 and the NBA Canada Series. Previous initiatives have seen the company provide both faster access and preferential seating at events such as the Toronto Blue Jays’ pre-season games in Montreal.
“We think it’s really important to remind collectors that earning miles and using their miles for air miles cash at sponsor locations or saving for flights and merchandise are an important part of the value proposition,” said MacQueen, noting that the company gives more than $500 million of rewards annually.
The company will also conduct on-campus marketing in the fall where “collectors” will be able to interact with NBA legends. Squareknot is handling all direct-to-collector communications such as mailers and social media, while North Strategic is handling PR.
