KLM NIGHTSLIGHT

TitleKLM NIGHTSLIGHT
BrandKLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES
Product/ServiceKLM NIGHTSLIGHT
Category A04. Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants & Fast Food Chains
Entrant DDB & TRIBAL WORLDWIDE AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Idea Creation DDB & TRIBAL WORLDWIDE AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Credits
Name Company Position
Nick Maas DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Jr. Copywriter
Leo van Oss DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Jr. Art Director
Joris Kuijpers DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Executive Creative Director
Dylan de Backer DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Executive Creative Director
Jeroen Thissen DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Art Director
Nikaj Gouwerok DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Editor
Esmée Lechner DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Designer
Joris Groot DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Interaction Designer
Jan Vesters DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam DTP
Ralf Hesen DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Strategy Director
Esther te Pas DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Business Director
Jesse Mons DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Executive Producer
Jesse Mons DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam Executive Producer
Jin Angdoo Artcore Director
Marco Both Artcore Producer
Jaap Wajer Loudness.io Loudness.io
Tom Tukker MassiveMusic Music Composer
Andrew Spitz FROLIC studio Product Designer
Ruben van der Vleuten FROLIC studio Technical Engineer
Femke de Zeeuw KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Manager Marketing Communication
Sanne Boerema KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Sr. Brand Manager

The Campaign

If we would simply try to convey our message with rational proof, it would not have a long-lasting impact. It was questionable if business travellers would even want to listen. To stick in the brain, we needed to come up with an emotional ‘something’ that touched the heart. Based on the insight that businesspeople often feel guilty when away from home, we decided to put the ones they have to leave behind in the spotlight: their family. We created a cute consumer product, called the KLM Nights Light. A product that not only sticks in the brain, but sticks in the home. A light in the shape of a little plane, with emotional value (and even more important: PR value!) that counts down the nights till mum or dad will be back from a business trip.

Execution

In early April, we sent out a press release with a link to an emotional video around the KLM Nights Light. Two days later, we mailed an eDM to KLM business customers (KLM database). Seeding of the video and placements in KLM media (inflight magazine Holland Herald and Flying Dutchman, a magazine for frequent flyers) were scheduled in the weeks after the mail date. Seeding budget was just €15,000.

As a result of the launch, KLM added +3% members to their loyalty programme for small and medium-sized businesses, 4% of members reactivated their account: in total 7% more active accounts (2% above target). eDM CTO: 37.6%, CTR: 8.3%. Benchmark: 31.3%, 6.4%. Even though we did not expect business travellers to change their travel plans because of the KLM Nights Light, we generated a sales increase of +2.5% in April and May. All KLM Night Lights were sold out within a few days. KLM ordered more, the product is now permanently available in the KLM shop. The buzz around KLM Nights Light generated media value in the Dutch market worth 200K (a potential reach of 13M in a country with 17M inhabitants). It also generated buzz outside of the Dutch borders. Estimated potential reach: 5.8M. KLM received very positive feedback from the target audience (including 5700 Likes for the video).

The Situation

The work is relevant for PR as we capitalised heavily on the PR value of our concept to bring across our message. The success was almost completely dependent on how it was picked up by business media, news media and in social media. Seeding budget was very limited: €15.000. Things worked out very well. Our message was picked up by, e.g., RTL news (Dutch news), Bright (leading Dutch gadget blog), Contagious, Adweek, Ads of the world, famous Dutch people (influential) like Nicolette Kluijver, Vivian Reijs, Antoine Peters etc., Business Travel magazine, Flair, Mamma, etc.

The Strategy

We created the KLM Nights Light in the shape of a little plane, to keep reminding our target audience, Dutch business travellers, of KLM when thinking of a business trip. By connecting this to the emotion of love for their family, we aimed to create a long-lasting impact. By creating buzz around the launch, even businesspeople who would not purchase the KLM Nights Light would be touched by the concept and therefore our message would stick in their brain. In early April, we sent out a press release with a link to an emotional video around the KLM Nights Light. Two days later, we mailed an eDM to KLM business customers (KLM database). Seeding of the video and placements in KLM media were scheduled in the weeks after the mail date.