Last year WestJet Airlines’ holiday video was everywhere. Everyone was watching and sharing it. As I write this blog post, the 2013 video has 37,541,107 views.
Why did people love it?
- It was a timely story. The video was posted December 8, when holiday traveling typically begins its uptick due to the holidays.
- There was immediate action. These people said what they wished for, and in a matter of hours received it.
- There was a corporate commitment. This video is all about WestJet going above and beyond for their customers. People love warm fuzzy stories from large companies – it humanizes them and shows a softer side.
So what did they do this year? This year WestJet’s video shows off its philanthropic side and visited a community in the Dominican Republic to spread holiday cheer.
This video exemplifies incredible corporate responsibility. They visited a town of people that would not have otherwise had the ability to get the things for which they had asked and, in some cases, the requests were for basic necessities. WestJet not only granted all the residents their gifts, but held a celebration for them (snow included) and erected a park for the community’s children. This shows that WestJet goes above and beyond to help others.
What can your company take away from WestJet’s bold moves? Even if you don’t have a huge budget to make a grand gesture and create a viral video - being empathetic, creative, unique and timely can create a positive feeling towards your company to your audiences.
Happy Holidays!
