The Challenge:
Collaborating with my classmates Carmen Henriquez Salman and Sofia Aldana, we tackled creating a transformational experience within the travel sector. Our project, “Voyagers,” aimed to revitalize how travelers interact with airports and destinations by merging historical and cultural education with the excitement of travel. The challenge was to convert the mundane waiting periods at airports into immersive journeys through time and space, encouraging travelers to explore physical destinations and historical events.
Ugly Baby Identified:
Traditional airport experiences remain dull and uninspiring. Most airports lack unique attractions that can effectively educate or entertain passengers. Our “ugly baby” was the underutilized spaces and moments at airports where travelers could be engaged in meaningful ways.
Game Plan:
Our strategy focused on transforming JFK Airport into a gateway not only to cities but to pivotal moments in history:
- Cultural Integration – Introduce historical events as immersive experiences within the airport.
- Educational Engagement – Provide educational content in an engaging format to inspire future travels.
- Community Building – Utilize these experiences to create a sense of global community among travelers.
Strategic Approach:
Our pitch leveraged the concept of time travel at airports to enhance the passenger experience. “Voyagers” aims to make every layover a journey through time by transforming waiting areas into portals to historical events. This approach shifted passenger perception of travel from a mere transfer to a transformative experience.
Victory Dance – Experiential Marketing and Product Innovations:
- Collaborations & Promotions: Seasonal themes in partnership with historical and cultural organizations and travel companies like Google Flights. Special events were timed with historical anniversaries to maximize relevance and engagement. Each passenger at JFK was given a boarding pass to “time-travel” to significant historical events, enhancing the anticipation and novelty of the experience.
- Execution and Promotion: Upon arrival at the designated airport section, passengers are greeted by flight crews dressed in period-specific attire, guiding them through a portal that resembles an airplane door. This entry point leads to immersive rooms where pivotal historical moments were brought to life through live acting, augmented reality, and sensory experiences. Promotional strategies included:
- Ticketing: Custom tickets were distributed, resembling vintage boarding passes that provided entry to different time-era experiences.
- In-Character Crew: Staff dressed in era-appropriate costumes acted as flight attendants and pilots, enhancing the immersive feel.
- Staging and Media Coverage: Strategic use of media coverage and social media storytelling to build buzz and anticipation. Live events were staged to appear as if passengers were stepping directly into history, with transformations captured and shared in real time.
Skills Used:
- Market Research
- Creative Collaboration
- Brand Storytelling
- Experience Design
- Experiential Marketing
- Strategic Planning
