Flying High with Virgin Atlantic and Rylan

Client: Virgin Atlantic

Post-Covid, Virgin Atlantic’s mission was to become sustainably profitable in 2024. Premium travel had seen a huge boom in travellers. But we had to fill the Economy cabin too.

Virgin Atlantic is known for its award-winning service, special touches and big attitude, no matter where passengers sit on board. The new ATL campaign focussed on how special it feels to fly VA Economy. We had to transform this into a premium PR and social campaign to increase consideration amongst existing and potential customers. However, there was no ‘new’ news. We needed to find a creative way to drive headlines. What sets Virgin Atlantic apart from its competitors? Its people – the living embodiment of the brand. Only special people make Virgin cabin crew. They have unique personalities, deliver best-in-class service and bring their true selves to work. This got us thinking…What if we could bring this to life partnering with the perfect celebrity and showcase the unique experience of travelling Virgin Atlantic Economy at the same time? Introducing Rylan Clark - a new addition to the Virgin Atlantic cabin crew onboard the VS5 from London Heathrow to Miami. We’d found the perfect ambassador. Charismatic and loved by the public and, unbeknown to most, an aviation enthusiast who dreamt of being cabin crew before he found fame. We’d struck gold (or red in VA’s case) with Rylan and not only did we hit the headlines (and the morning TV sofas) but the activity contributed to a +6% increase in sales.