Aeroplan is welcoming potential members to “the club” through a new national multi-platform campaign and tag line that highlights the experience-based rewards available to members of the program.
The effort, the first from Cossette since taking over the account from incumbent Sid Lee last fall, is based on consumer research conducted by the Montreal-based frequent flyer marketing program last summer.
Aeroplan heard from members that redeeming rewards points is about more than just air travel, said David Klein, vice-president, marketing planning and program development, Aeroplan.
“It’s not about getting on an airplane and going to an ocean somewhere, it’s about what you’re going to do when you’re there,” said Klein
“It’s about the passions people have and the role Aeroplan plays to help experience these passions,” he said.
The campaign includes newspaper ads, online, out-of-home in the Toronto market, as well as pillar wraps, wall wraps and back lit posters in the Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary airports.
One print ad that ran in Saturday’s Toronto Star shows the cockpit of a helicopter as it flies over the Las Vegas strip, with copy that reads: “Our members get to see Vegas from a different angle.” Another ad shows a couple at a wine tasting event in the Napa Valley.
“From a visual perspective the images we’re using are images that really bring the member into the picture,” said Klein. The brand tag line has changed from “Rewarding Life,” to “Welcome to the Club,” as a friendly way of inviting members in, he said.
Aeroplan last launched a multi platform campaign over a year ago to heavily promote program benefits.
Much of last year’s campaign was “numbers focused,” said Klein. For instance, a lot of people were under the impression they needed to fly with Air Canada when redeeming their points, when in fact, Aeroplan is partnered with 26 Star Alliance member airlines.
In October, Aeroplan awarded Cossette the bulk of its integrated Canadian communications (including media buying) in a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal after an agency review process that began months before.
Prior to hiring Cossette, Aeroplan worked with multiple agencies. Sid Lee had been Aeroplan’s brand agency of record, while Twist Image in Montreal had the bulk of the digital duties and Toronto’s RAPP Collins handled direct marketing.
In October, Klein told Marketing the move from three agencies to one reflected the brand’s increasing need for message consistency.
