LAURA WIMER JEWELL x ALASKA AIRLINES: USING DATA TO DRIVE CONNECTION
Some campaigns aren’t rooted in a library of creative assets; they’re rooted in a single idea that generates a tidal wave of brand traction.
Partnering with Surfline, the preeminent surf forecasting site, Alaska Airlines created Swell Deals, a category-first program where discounts are generated based on the waves around the islands. Wave data from offshore buoys directly drove discounts during the sale and travel period.
The bigger the waves got, the bigger the discount.
The promotion, led by Laura as creative director at Mekanism, was the highest-performing sale Alaska Airlines has ever run. Alaska saw a 395% increase in net new bookings, and $446K in revenue in just 4 days. Press impressions reached over 500mm as word of the campaign spread through the media, reaffirming Alaska’s rightful place as the go-to airline for West Coast travelers headed to the islands.
The campaign was featured in Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, the LA Times, and Travel + Leisure. It was nominated for a Webby and won Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year for 2020.
In Laura’s words, “The wonderful thing about dynamic data is that it helps us understand more clearly the different ways people interact with their passions. Working with the team at Surfline allowed us to get an authentic understanding of what matters to surfers and when. For Alaska Airlines, using those unique surfing data hand-in-hand with creative not only resulted in a uniquely powerful campaign, but helped us announce to the world Alaska's personal approach to how they want people to experience their fare sales.”
Press
"Surf’s Up, Fare Down: Alaska Airlines Offers Data-Based Swell Deals To Hawaii," Forbes
"Alaska Airlines’ Quirky Hawaii Sale Links Big Waves to Cheaper Airfares," Los Angeles Times
"Alaska Airlines 'Swell Deals' Campaign by Mekanism," The Drum
"Alaska Airlines Uses Surf Data to Offer Swell Deals," Effie
Credits
Client: Alaska Airlines
Agency: Mekanism