Memorable Experience with KLM – Nextround | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Memorable experience with KLM - KLM | Clapboard Ad Archive

KLM’s 2017 campaign Memorable experience with KLM represents a contemporary benchmark in digital brand storytelling for the travel and leisure category, as the airline and agency Nextround orchestrate a strategy rooted in immersive technology and social purpose to deepen consumer relevance in the South Korean market. By recognizing the boredom faced by children confined to hospital rooms — a reality distant from the aspirational imagery typical of airline advertising — KLM intentionally highlights a clear and relatable problem, then positions its state-of-the-art 360-degree VR experience as a potent antidote to the isolation and monotony these young patients encounter, a creative approach that aligns directly with FORMAT#2—Show the Problem within Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Hosted on KLM’s official YouTube channel, the campaign leverages the power of VR to virtually transport children from their beds to the world of KLM, inviting audiences to fly with pilots through Cockpit Tales, wander vibrant global destinations, join the whimsical escapades of mascot Bluey, and follow intern Julie van Hout’s educational journey inside the airline—a suite of touchpoints designed to build both an emotional and brand-centric connection with a wider digital audience. Importantly, the activation’s spread across social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn amplifies the campaign’s resonance, reinforcing KLM’s reputation as a digitally advanced and socially empathetic brand while extending reach and engagement well beyond traditional paid media. The substantial view count of over 381,000 on YouTube substantiates the campaign’s ability to cut through in a saturated content landscape, demonstrating not just effective distribution but genuine interest and participation from the audience. By foregrounding children’s wellbeing and making an experience of the KLM universe accessible to those physically unable to travel, the campaign successfully links the promise of aviation—movement, discovery, uplift—to new, unexpected contexts, building equity around innovation, care, and brand warmth in a highly competitive market category. This balanced orchestration of purpose-driven narrative, creative technology, and multichannel engagement crystallizes why the project sits comfortably in the broader canon of globally relevant airline marketing. Clapboard rates this 71/100. As a case, Memorable experience with KLM matters because it demonstrates the transport sector’s evolving mandate to creatively harness technology and empathy when extending the value of the travel experience well beyond the act of flying.

Credits

Client

KLM

Agency

Nextround

Art Director

Sungho Ahn

Copywriters

Chaedal Ban, Hailey Kim

Account Management

Inju Lee, Sungkil Lee

Producer

Eunhye Kim

Category Mind Map

48%

The campaign “Memorable experience with KLM” leverages immersive 360 VR technology to deliver a unique, emotionally resonant value proposition: KLM aims to create meaningful and uplifting experiences that transcend traditional air travel by connecting with audiences on a human level. The brand proposition emphasizes KLM’s commitment to innovation and empathy, positioning itself not just as a transportation service but as a facilitator of memorable moments, even in challenging circumstances such as children confined to hospital rooms. Strategically, the campaign targets a sensitive and often overlooked audience segment—hospitalized children and their families—highlighting KLM’s social responsibility and emotional engagement beyond commercial transactions. By employing cutting-edge virtual reality technology, the campaign taps into the growing consumer interest in immersive digital experiences, offering an innovative creative angle that combines entertainment, compassion, and technological advancement. This approach aligns with trends in digital storytelling and experiential marketing, deepening emotional connections and fostering brand affinity in a market where emotional resonance is increasingly valuable for loyalty. The choice to publish the campaign in South Korea, a market known for technological adoption and a strong digital presence, further supports this strategic targeting, optimizing relevance and engagement. The narrative genre and use of KLM’s official YouTube channel expand reach within a digital ecosystem where users seek authentic brand stories. Overall, the campaign underscores KLM’s role as a pioneering company willing to extend its brand experience into new realms, leveraging empathy and innovation to differentiate itself in the competitive travel and leisure industry.

FORMAT#2 SHOW THE PROBLEM — Highlights a relatable problem, then shows the product as the solution. This campaign centers on hospitalized children experiencing boredom (“지루한 일상”), establishing a relatable problem in the context of their hospital stay. KLM introduces its 360 VR technology as the innovative solution, enabling the children to have a memorable, immersive experience otherwise inaccessible from their beds. The narrative and meta descriptions explicitly set up the kids’ predicament and then illustrate how KLM’s technology resolves this, making the format a textbook example of Show the Problem rather than relying on symbolic, testimonial, or purely story-driven creative devices. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Korean Air – Market Positioning As South Korea's flag carrier, Korean Air focuses on premium service, extensive global connectivity, and strong safety records. It differentiates itself through a blend of Korean culture and hospitality, targeting both business and leisure travelers seeking reliability and a high-quality flying experience. 2. Asiana Airlines – Market Positioning Asiana Airlines emphasizes customer service excellence, modern fleet, and a focus on comfort and innovation. It positions itself as a full-service carrier appealing to both domestic and international travelers, with a strong emphasis on safety and award-winning onboard services. 3. Japan Airlines (JAL) – Market Positioning JAL leverages its reputation for punctuality, top-tier service, and Japanese hospitality. It targets business travelers and discerning leisure passengers with a premium experience, extensive Asia-Pacific connectivity, and a commitment to continuous innovation in comfort and customer care. 4. Cathay Pacific Airways – Market Positioning Cathay Pacific positions itself as a luxury airline bringing superior comfort and personalized service to international travelers. It capitalizes on its Hong Kong hub to connect Asia with global destinations, emphasizing safety, reliability, and a seamless travel experience. 5. Singapore Airlines – Market Positioning Recognized globally for exceptional service quality and innovation, Singapore Airlines differentiates itself through luxury, cutting-edge in-flight technology, and a strong network across Asia and beyond. It targets premium travelers seeking comfort, reliability, and a world-class flying experience.

Q: What is Memorable experience with KLM about? A: Memorable experience with KLM is a digital campaign launched by KLM in 2017 for the South Korean market, created in partnership with the agency Nextround. The campaign centers on delivering uplifting experiences to children confined to hospital rooms by using 360-degree virtual reality technology. Through immersive VR content hosted on KLM’s official YouTube channel, young patients are virtually transported into the world of KLM, from flying in the cockpit to exploring global destinations and following the adventures of mascot Bluey. The campaign combines emotional storytelling and technological innovation to reinforce KLM’s brand as empathetic and forward-thinking within the transport industry. Q: What creative device does Memorable experience with KLM use? A: Memorable experience with KLM employs the Show the Problem format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. The campaign highlights the relatable issue of hospitalized children facing boredom and restricted experiences, then introduces KLM’s 360-degree VR technology as the direct solution. By explicitly setting up the children’s predicament and demonstrating how immersive virtual reality can provide them with memorable escapes, the campaign exemplifies the Show the Problem approach rather than relying on testimonial or symbolic creative devices. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Memorable experience with KLM? A: The campaign proposition for Memorable experience with KLM is rooted in KLM’s commitment to innovation and empathy, positioning the airline as a facilitator of meaningful experiences beyond conventional travel. By targeting hospitalized children and their families, the campaign underscores KLM’s dedication to social responsibility and emotional engagement, leveraging immersive VR technology to deliver joy and connection in challenging circumstances. This strategic approach aligns with trends in experiential marketing, aiming to deepen brand affinity in the travel and leisure category by emphasizing emotional resonance and technological leadership. Q: How does Memorable experience with KLM rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Memorable experience with KLM holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 71/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards. Q: Who are the competitors in KLM's category? A: In the travel and leisure category, KLM competes with several major airlines. Korean Air positions itself as South Korea’s flag carrier with a focus on premium service and global connectivity, while Asiana Airlines emphasizes customer service, comfort, and innovation. Japan Airlines is known for its punctuality and Japanese hospitality, targeting business and leisure travelers with a premium experience. Cathay Pacific leverages its Hong Kong hub to deliver luxury and personalized service, and Singapore Airlines is globally recognized for exceptional service quality, innovation, and a strong network, appealing to premium travelers seeking world-class comfort and reliability.