WestJet has launched a new national television campaign that once again highlights the benefits of flying with the airline that prides itself on providing a people-driven service experience.
The new effort from agency of record Taxi is an extension of its “Owners” advertising platform that first launched in 2005 and features WestJet employees displaying moments of caring towards guests.
One spot shows the WestJet team helping a businesswoman who has forgotten important documents.
“People get the concept,” said Lauri Feser, vice-president, marketing, WestJet, on “Owners” long run. “They get when you’re an owner you’re going to do things above and beyond because you have an attachment to the business. It seems to have worked extremely well for us.”
Feser said evolving the creative and focusing on different value propositions and products with each campaign has helped keep the “Owners” platform fresh over the years.
The ads are running on specialty and conventional television channels, in cinemas and on airport digital boards until June 29. Media Experts handled the media buy.
In February, WestJet announced it was looking for new agency partners, and is considering using multiple, discipline-specific agencies.
No decisions have yet been made said Feser, adding that WestJet is still in its “RFP evaluation phase” with no “driving deadline we’re working towards.”
“There’s lots of options there for us and we want to make sure we have the right partner,” she said. “It may mean we stay [with Taxi] and it may mean we change.”
WestJet has been flying high this year. The Calgary-based discount airline carrier added five aircraft to its fleet and recently increased its number of flights in the crucial “Eastern Triangle” of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
Over 51,000 people flew on WestJet going into the Easter weekend, which is a new single-day record for the airline. (The previous record of 50,336 passengers was set last Christmas).