You’ve already created the Billion Point Giveaway, and added all sorts of metal to your mantelpiece because of it. Then the client asks for more. Something bigger maybe? Even more engaging?

Undaunted, CHE Proximity has created The World’s Biggest Points Exchange Expo for Velocity Frequent Flyer, the loyalty program of Virgin Australia.

The expo is online, but CHE realised that it could have so much more fun if it wasn’t. So, in the ads – and there are 15 of these – it’s a real expo, with all of the real expo trappings. Because, with a little hyperbole, real expos are really funny.

The campaign aims to educate Australians that their points are better off with Velocity, particularly with the month-long 15% bonus from October 30 to November 30. It does so with a little teaching and a lot of wit.

Kudos to the voiceover artist, who made some very sharp copy come to life:

David Halter, managing director of CHE Proximity, noted, “This is just the start of our partnership with Velocity. The intern mistake in Billion Point Giveaway, and now a follow up series about a giant expo will help form the backbone for the brand going forward. We’re trying to find a tone that makes us very different from other Frequent Flyer Programs, while using our media and technology capability to tell the stories in smart ways.”

The 60 second hero film is supported by 30 second ads that highlight key expo features – with the same wit and charm as their parent.

The full campaign is running in addressable digital media and on TV, supported by out of home, display, search and in-airport activity.

Owned and paid media were planned together to make sure that a sequential story unfolds for every viewer no matter what channel they’re in. Addressable channels let people see the most relevant parts of the expo, based on a number of data points including demographics, previous behaviour and interaction with the campaign.

Ant White, executive creative director, CHE Proximity, explained, “Our biggest creative opportunity these days is to find ideas that allow us to create content to stay relevant and watchable for each of the different audience groups, over long periods of time. We wanted to make this work feel like we were covering a ‘live event’, rather than creating a couple of films that lose relevance over time.”

Australians will be invited to attend the expo via an online experience, where they can have a ‘conversation’ with a Velocity Valuer about their points.

Dean Chadwick, chief marketing officer, Velocity, commented, “Research told us that many people don’t understand the value of their points and we know moving them to Velocity is a great option. Especially with our 15% bonus. So, we needed something that was designed to educate but executed in a very watchable way. Putting our ‘staff’ in an expo and letting people watch it unfold felt like a great solution.

“We’ve also pushed our media model to make it smarter and more relevant to the viewer than ever before which allows us to release new videos into the mix throughout the month so they want to keep watching.”
smart ways.”

Credits:

Creative Agency: CHE Proximity
Executive Creative Director: Ant White
Managing Director: David Halter
Group Creative Director: Brian Jefferson
Senior Art Director: Daniel Davison
Senior Copywriter: Ashley Wilding
Head of Design – Jason Young
Senior Digital Designer: Vanessa Saporito
Copywriter: Josh Thompson

Account management: Mia Matulic, Sam McGown & Jess Mitchell
Media management: Nicholas Noel, Adam Kotecki

Senior Strategic Planner: Bea Teehankee
Senior Producer: Sam Yeomans
Senior Editor: Damian Capicchiano
Digital Products Director: Jamie Metcalfe
Senior Digital Producer: David Cooper Digital
Producer: Hazel Titus

Technical Lead: Marjia Yeasmin
Head of Experience (Media): Calvin Cain
Head of Performance – James Shaw

Production Company: Plaza Films
Director: David Wood
Producer: Lee Thomson
DoP: Earl Dresner

Editing: The Butchery
Editor: Tim Parrington
Post production: The Refinery
Online: Drew Downs
Audio: Matt Thompson & Peter McCorqudale

Client: Velocity Frequent Flyer
Chief Marketing Officer: Dean Chadwick
Head of Customer Loyalty: Steve Baird
Marketing Specialist (Brand): Renee Thorpe
Marketing Advisor: Annabel Brusasco
Partnerships Manager, Financial Services: Sam Fleming
Performance Marketing Manager: Rino Do
Digital Product Manager: Belinda Landry