7 Weeks of Unstoppable Deals: How Air Asia Leveraged the Flexibility of Programmatic DOOH Campaign to Unveil Irresistible Offers in Malaysia

Challenge:

As audiences geared up for peak travel season, AirAsia knew they had to make their deals stand out and reach relevant audiences. Given the focus on driving users to their super app, being present in the physical world and at multiple locations was identified as key to staying top of mind. 

Objective:

Being the world’s leading low-cost airline, AirAsia is well-known for its seasonal flight and destination offers. The objective of this campaign was to ensure the latest offers were displayed at the right locations to drive audiences to take action online. Key Digital Out of Home (DOOH) locations were chosen for a period of seven weeks and the content being served should be relevant to the current offer.

Solution:

As the holiday season arrived, audiences yearned for new experiences. AirAsia designed several promotions inviting those in Malaysia to a range of different types of holidays. 

This wasn’t just a campaign – it was a meticulously orchestrated seven-week expedition tailored to every sort of traveller, with each week unveiling a fresh creative promoting a unique offer. Finally, the true flexibility of using DOOH screens was put to use at scale.

The Campaign Execution

The entire DOOH campaign was executed through the Moving Audiences Xchange platform, which boasts the highest reach in Malaysia covering every possible venue type and billboard location.

A select group of inventory was made available for the campaign and creatives could seamlessly be switched in and out with automated media owner approvals. Given that the platform provided real-time impression, ad play, and proof of play reporting, AirAsia’s marketing team was able to compare actual delivery to campaign forecasts and make adjustments where necessary. Below is a quick summary of the different mini-campaigns that were executed during the seven-week period.

Week 1: The Invitation to Regional Exploration
The first week was a siren call for regional exploration, offering a tempting 20% off on flight tickets to neighbouring countries. This week was all about stepping out of comfort zones and expanding horizons.

Week 2: The Indonesian Charm

The second week saw AirAsia igniting the travel bug with a flight ticket offer to Indonesia. The campaign was an open invitation to explore the rich culture and breathtaking landscapes of this Southeast Asian jewel.

Week 3: The Beach Bum’s Paradise
Week three was a sun-soaked, sand-strewn invitation to beach lovers with the tagline – “Fly for sun, sand, and sea”. It was a shout-out to those seeking to trade their office chairs for beach chairs.

Week 4: The Cultural Carousel
Week four was a cultural extravaganza, encouraging tourists to “Fly for exciting cultures”. This was an invitation for travellers to journey beyond their borders and dive headfirst into the vibrant cultures of different countries.

Week 5: The Lap of Affordable Luxury
The fifth week showcased the glamorous side of travel, with international flights starting from a mere RM279, and premium flatbed seats from RM899. This was a golden ticket for those seeking luxury without depleting their wallets.

Week 6: The Call of the Wild
The sixth week was a green signal for nature lovers to “Fly for serene naturescapes”. It was a call to all those yearning to swap concrete jungles with lush green landscapes.

Week 7: The Adrenaline Rush
The campaign reached a crescendo in the final week, with flight ticket promos encouraging thrill-seekers to “Fly for the thrill of it”. It was the ultimate call-to-action for adrenaline junkies ready to embark on their next thrilling adventure.

This seven-week odyssey was more than just a campaign; it was a testament to AirAsia’s deep understanding of its customers’ diverse travel preferences and an impressive display of creative DOOH ads. 

Results: 

By including the use of Programmatic DOOH alongside their digital efforts, AirAsia was able to build up real-world awareness that contributed to the success of the campaign on other channels.

On DOOH alone, generated a reach of over 29 million impressions, far exceeding our forecast of 22 million. This was garnered over 37 sites, spanning 9 states and 10 districts in Malaysia, showcasing the growing reach of Programmatic DOOH.

Beyond these numbers though, AirAsia continues to showcase best practices for executing through new media channels. The scale and flexibility offered by Programmatic DOOH enabled them to literally paint Malaysia red while still verifying the results and switching creatives based on actual performance.