Covered in gold, silver, red, purple and green candy-stripes and
decorated with flamboyant ribbons, the unexpected
packages chugged past the astonished passengers. People
gradually began to notice their own names on the parcels' gift
tags, but nervously watched them go past a couple of times before
daring to pick them up.
After awhile, they began to pick the presents up and shake them
suspiciously for clues as to their contents. Eventually they tore
open the wrapping to reveal gifts for every kind of passenger. For
the kids there were teddy bears, giant candy bars, toy horses,
cars, trumpets, puppets and costumes; and for the adults, beauty
products, Lomography cameras and hats.
The passengers directed a spontaneous round of applause at the
luggage belt, and each had a heart-warming tale about Spanair --
which markets itself as "La de Todos" or "Everyone's Airline" -- to
tell their loved ones at Christmas.
The whole stunt was planned by Spanish ad agency Shackleton,
based in Barcelona. The agency's VP, Enric Nel-lo, said in a
statement, "We understand the emotional stress of traveling on such
a special evening, particularly on one of the last flights, when
everyone else is reunited with their families celebrating Christmas
Eve. These passengers deserve a gift like the rest, with all the
excitement and the surprise factor, too. It was a very special
gesture for all those who have no other choice but to fly on the
night of December 24th."
Nuria Tarr, commercial director of Spanair, said in the
statement, "This action strengthens the company's image in the
areas of innovation and closeness to our passengers. We've created
a very warm and human brand experience and it's a true reflection
of the positioning we have been building since last year."
In less than 48 hours, a YouTube video of the event received
more than 100,000 views, and more than 7,000 users shared it on
Facebook and Twitter.