An experiential marketing tour fit for a Queen
The retirement of Delta’s iconic 747 aircraft called for the royal treatment and a newsworthy corporate event experience.
Forty-seven years after taking off for the first time, Delta’s iconic 747 was scheduled to embark on its final commercial flight. Delta came to BIW to turn its send-off into an experiential marketing event that could be enjoyed by five decades worth of employees, consumers and fans of this aircraft, affectionately known as the Queen of the Skies.
The goal was three-fold:
- Allow as many of its 80,000 global employees to participate as possible.
- Honor its best consumers by including them in this goodbye celebration.
- Build excitement for the launch of their new A350 aircraft.
“We, Delta Air Lines, were retiring the most iconic airplane ever made – the 747. There is no other plane like it; there will never be another plane like it. And when we partnered with BI WORLDWIDE, they were like a one-stop shop – they did everything.” - Anthony Levo, Global Employee Engagement and Event Management at Delta Airlines
With just two months to plan and execute this experiential marketing event, BIW hit the ground running. Thus was born the farewell tour dubbed “All hail the Queen” that would treat the 747 as the rock star she was. It included:
- A series of hangar parties in Detroit, Seattle, Minneapolis and Atlanta. The Queen flew from hub to hub with a succession of in-flight and on-ground bashes—with one extra (and unprecedented) stop at its birthplace, the Boeing factory, outside of Seattle.
- Indescribable experiences for long-time Delta employees and fans of the Queen:
- Self-guided tours with audio narration of the 747
- A chance to sign the underbelly of the plane and leave a lasting message
- A sleek VR lounge providing virtual tours of Delta’s new A350 aircraft
- Limited edition branded 747 memorabilia with the proceeds donated to a charitable organization
- A mile-high cocktail party for those travelling between hubs
Four cities. Four days.
Delivering on the impossible.
To say that this tour grabbed the world’s attention is an understatement. The story was picked up and covered by Time, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, NBC, Bloomberg, Event Marketer, Lonely Planet and local news media. Social media was flooded with photos from employees and consumers attending these events.
In the end, Delta received $900,000 in earned media, with 156 million brand impressions. And more importantly, the Queen of the skies was retired in royal fashion, giving everyone who loved her the chance to say farewell.
Pull back the curtain
See what goes into creating a memorable experience that delivers results
- Event Planning: We partner with you on everything from big-picture strategy to meticulous execution.
- Event Production: We're a global leader in event design and production. Let us uncover your story and share it with the world.
- Experiential Marketing: Let us help you create an unforgettable brand moment that starts a movement.
- Product Launch: We will generate earned media, drive traffic and support sales for your newest product or service.
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