2016 Bronze Travel, Leisure and Entertainment

Agency WDMP

Client Monarch

Campaign summary A colouring book that relaxes you like a holiday

Campaign overview

Monarch is a leisure airline that prides itself on being able to help customers ‘relax fast’.

The approach was to prove this dedication by harnessing insights born out of behavioural science: adults who colour in and relaxation.

Strategy

As a smaller airline Monarch needed an angle to put blue sky between them and the competition.

‘Travel often doesn’t feel like a holiday. But travel with us should.’ These words, and a commitment to helping customers ‘relax fast’ are at the heart of Monarch’s brand.

But how could Monarch relax their audience before they’d even decided to go?

The answer came in the shape of colouring in books, a hugely popular hobby that science shows allows the brain to relax, reduces stress and changes the heart rate - exactly the type of relaxation people seek from a holiday.

And exactly the experience Monarch wanted to create. A compelling price would be mandatory but connecting to the colouring in movement created a strategy that gave Monarch a new way to stand out from the crowd.

Creativity

The natural connection between colour and Monarch fired an unexpected idea that came complete with a look, style and language.

The focus was to let the audience fill in the blanks and add the colour themselves. For example 30 local school children coloured in Leeds airport in an outdoor execution.

Initially a DM concept, it worked so well that press, OOH and a host of digital executions developed with animated gifs across the eCRM programme, a full social takeover and even a temporary redesign of the Monarch logo.

The final flourish came from a social competition, also activated through DM, that asked people to submit their own holiday photos. The winners had their entries drawn by an illustrator as bespoke pieces to be kept and coloured.

Results

Bookings increased by 11% month-on- month and 8% year-on-year.

Month-on-month Branded Advertising Awareness increased by 4% as a result of the ‘Colour Your Summer’ campaign, peaking at an annual high of 19% for Monarch.

Monarch’s ‘Brand Strength Share’ rose to second amongst competitor airlines, with a 70% increase in social engagement.

Team

Edward Dalgleish (Planner) • Mike Cavers (Executive Creative Director) • George Boyter (Senior Illustrator) • Paul Middleton (Senior Art Director) • Craig Wheeler (Managing Director)