Lakelad Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 .Globe says WestJet figures maudlin ads are winning adsFri Jun 06, 2014 - Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition WestJet can make you cry. The Globe's Susan Krashinsky writes a touching Christmas video turned into a marketing coup for WestJet. Now at over 36 million views, the airline's story of surprising passengers with gifts from Santa was the most-watched Canadian ad on YouTube in 2013. Now, the company has created another tear-jerker, this time for Father's Day. In its latest video, the company decided to surprise Saskatoon resident Marc Grimard with five days off work and a plane ticket to Edmonton. WestJet joined with Ronald McDonald House, which was hosting Mr. Grimard's young son while he receives treatment in Edmonton for congenital heart disease. To make it happen, WestJet employee Medel Villena offered to take over Mr. Grimard's job as a maintenance worker at Saskatoon Transit for five days. The charitable effort is also powerful marketing for WestJet. Companies have been creating more and more emotional advertising in recent years as social conversation on-line can drive a campaign's success. WestJet will donate up to five more flights to families with children staying at Ronald McDonald House, one for every 100,000 views the video receives.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blues deville Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 And the G&M is probably correct.However, I am sure all Westjetters are aware that many people volunteer their time and money every day to help others without any kind of fanfare or self promotion. Pulling on heart strings is an effective marketing strategy and I'm sure this story will certainly help to sell seats. Many fathers (and mothers) spend time away their family due to work or other obligations and it can be tough for everyone. There's a lot days I'd like to get back too but it isn't going to happen. Good job westjet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I thought the Christmas video was very well done and a fun way to promote the company.I have mixed feelings on the Fathers day video. Giving the Dad a way to connect with his son is awesome however I find using the Dad as a marketing tool a bit unseemly. It does not land right for me. Again, love that they did this but the need to chase "like" on the video cheapens it for me.Unfortunately I am also finding a little bit too much self congratulations among WestJetters over this one. One thing to have pride in your company but the level of "Hey aren't we awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a little too much for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blues deville Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Unfortunately I am also finding a little bit too much self congratulations among WestJetters over this one. One thing to have pride in your company but the level of "Hey aren't we awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a little too much for me.So what you are saying is you are quite content with your awesomeness and no need to be reminded with these videos? Just kidding...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zan Vetter Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Sequels rarely work is my take on the matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 How is this any different from simply taking out a full-page ad in the Globe and Mail?OK, so Westjet contributed to a charity, which virtually every large company in the country does, great. Making a video about it and uploading it to youtube is self-serving and embarrassing - kind of like waiting for someone to be watching before you help the old lady across the street or drop the coins into the charity jar on the counter. I really doubt if it would have been done at all if there wasn't a PR angle to it and that taints it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blues deville Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 How is this any different from simply taking out a full-page ad in the Globe and Mail?OK, so Westjet contributed to a charity, which virtually every large company in the country does, great. Making a video about it and uploading it to youtube is self-serving and embarrassing - kind of like waiting for someone to be watching before you help the old lady across the street or drop the coins into the charity jar on the counter. I really doubt if it would have been done at all if there wasn't a PR angle to it and that taints it for me.The number of people who will probably view this YouTube video will easily exceed anything a print newspaper can manage. So Westjet has their social media methods figured out. And you're right. Large companies contribute to charities but so do small families. You don't always hear about it. My step-father (bless his soul) used to drive families to the Shriner's Hospital in Montreal after they arrived at Dorval. In retirement he did the same thing to CHEO in Ottawa. His vehicles. His dime. His time. No videos to show you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 The number of people who will probably view this YouTube video will easily exceed anything a print newspaper can manage. So Westjet has their social media methods figured out.I think you're missing my point; taking out an ad to boast about giving to a charity would be the ultimate in crass - for a large corporation to make and post a video to youtube in this way is pretty much the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I think you're missing my point; taking out an ad to boast about giving to a charity would be the ultimate in crass - for a large corporation to make and post a video to youtube in this way is pretty much the same thing.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLyjC18hIxQI have no problems with companies publicizing the good works they do. Just feel the WS missed the mark and came off looking a bit exploitive. WS, like AC and other companies, gives cash, flights and services to all sorts of charity, not all of which get published. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLyjC18hIxQI have no problems with companies publicizing the good works they do. Just feel the WS missed the mark and came off looking a bit exploitive. WS, like AC and other companies, gives cash, flights and services to all sorts of charity, not all of which get published.OK, we don't need a big disagreement but you did say it yourself - this comes off as exploitive. That I agree with. And, just to keep things straight; the Dreams Take Flight video you linked to is not on the official AC corporate youtube channel. In fact there is no mention of any charity contributions on the AC official channel but the Westjet channel has several, a whole section full actually.I know there are lots of hard-working, generous, and socially-aware Westjetters - them I have no problem with but these self-promoting videos just don't seem right to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILB Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 ...I really doubt if it would have been done at all if there wasn't a PR angle to it...The number of times this sort of thing is done by WestJet is amazing. It never gets publicized. I could provide many examples, all of them not even remotely related to the company or its people, and never with the company banner being flow.You may disagree with the production of this video and its publication. But please be assured this company and its people do many, many charitable works for altruism alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 In a country where our government runs ads bragging about services for veterans that fly in the face of the reality, I fail to understand why we would bitch about an advert that shows some good work done by a pretty solid corporate citizen and it's people. Sheesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaEH Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 If WestJet knows one thing it's social media. The amount of shares or likes on my Twitter and Facebook feeds is crazy. WestJet has a pretty dedicated following online and its 'stories' - be it the Christmas video or this - are starting to become known worldwide. Marketing tool or not this video I think speaks to the type of people we have working at WestJet and provides an example of just one of the things we have done as a Corporation. AC has Dreams Take Flight and sometimes is positive to show the human side of a business that can be a punching bag for a lot of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FA@AC Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I'm with those who are proud that AC does these things quietly. A good deed is its own reward. The self-promotion is tacky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I thought it was a good video but as I watched it I began to have a bit of an uneasy feeling. Something about having a camera recording personal and intimate family feelings for public display did not make me feel comfortable. At the end I thought 'great for Ronald McDonald House and WestJet' to have done a good deed.But I was also reminded of a friend who donated THOUSANDS of hours at a Ronald McDonald home yet only her closest friends ever knew.Then I read the comments.I have to admit that I tend towards the group that does not like the bragging.The Christmas gift suprize was fantastic as it was unique and open and involved a large group. This father's day surprise was none of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chockalicious Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 @Seeker, not to parse it too much but Dreams Take Flight has Youtube channels. It is a branded effort by AC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 What many here are missing is that this is as much an initiative by RMH as it is by WestJet. They used their partnership to find a "unique" way to promote the efforts of both groups and create more of an awareness of what RMH does which will hopefully go a long way to help raise awareness and donations/volunteerism.I know several families who have been in the unfortunate situation where they needed to live at RMH in Edmonton. They do a great job, but the resources are not unlimited. This is designed to help assist with that and was driven as much by RMH as by WestJet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blues deville Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Perhaps the bottom line on this is that a family is going to benefit from the event and if Westjet, Air Canada, Bell, B of M, etc, promotes the process, so be it. Why not? It's a good thing!Maybe all companies should make it known what they are doing in the community. We are bombarded with advertising of all kinds that tell us how to look, where to eat, how to feel, what to buy and so on. We don't seem to have any problems with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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