Virgin Atlantic, a global London-based airlines, is a leader in social media with over 200K Facebook fans, 115K Twitter followers, and 1.2M followers on its Virgin Google+ Page. Virgin Atlantic's interactive "Looking for Linda" social campaign attracted new customers by offering exclusive rewards, garnering 15,000 entries and growing its social audience by 8,000 people. Because of the initiative's success, Virgin Atlantic continues to use Wildfire's Social Marketing Suite for other campaigns.
Approach
Used Wildfire’s Social Marketing Suite to create the “Looking for Linda” sweepstakes
Promoted the sweepstakes across social networks
Collected entrant information into its marketing database (via the form on the sweepstakes page) for followup campaigns
Goals
Engage social users and encourage participation by providing meaningful and tangible rewards that tie to company’s products
Attract new followers across social networks, and give them incentive to revisit Virgin Atlantic’s social pages
Advertise the company's most popular destinations
Results
The campaign fueled extensive consumer interaction and generated over 15,000 entries and 8,000 new users in addition to successfully promoting travel destinations
Because of the success of this campaign, Virgin Atlantic continued to partner with Wildfire on other social initiatives
Goal
In January 2011, Virgin Atlantic launched its first TV marketing campaign since 2006. Needing to reach a wider audience and engage its social media fans, Virgin Atlantic sought to start a conversation around fans' love of travel and fun, and offer its audience meaningful and tangible rewards that would reinforce Virgin's brand. It wanted a social media campaign that would go beyond standard advertising by encouraging active participation and conversation as well.
Solution
Virgin Atlantic partnered with Wildfire to launch its "Looking for Linda" sweepstakes to connect with committed fans. At the campaign's outset, Virgin Atlantic introduced "Linda," a fictional Virgin Atlantic flight attendant who shared her world travels. Fans who correctly guessed Linda's destinations were entered into weekly contests for tickets to one of Virgin Atlantic's destinations. One lucky fan won two upper class ticket upgrades to a destination of his or her choice. Because Linda had her own Facbook page, fans were able to engage in a dialogue directly with her. Fans complimented her on everything from her stylish Virgin Atlantic-issued heels, to her choice of travel locations. Virgin Atlantic also promoted this campaign through its Twitter handle.
Results
Wildfire's Social Marketing Suite proved to be a simple and powerful way to acquire new Facebook fans while engaging with, and rewarding, its existing fan base. By the end of the campaign, the airline had received 15,449 sweepstakes entries and gained 8,282 new social users. Additionally, Linda engaged consumers in a new way: she gained over 1,900 friends in six weeks. Virgin Atlantic was thrilled with the results, and partnered on other campaigns thereafter.
The airline had received 15,449 sweepstakes entries and gained 8,282 new social users.
Company
Virgin Atlantic is a global London-based airline that serves many of the world's major cities. The airline focuses on both business and leisure markets and drives efficiency and effectiveness while providing a first-class experience for all customers on board. The three pillars of Virgin's social strategy are to serve, to sell and to socialize in order to create fun ways to grow and strengthen relationships with members of their community. Virgin Atlantic is a leader in social media with over 200,000 Facebook fans, 115,000 Twitter followers, and 1,200,000 followers via its Virgin "Most Engaging" Google+ Page.
