Optimum West

Challenge

• To increase awareness of its western expansion, Bell conceived the Lightship Tour. A branded airship, lit from the inside and capable of carrying eight passengers, was slated to visit 20 communities across Western Canada during the summer of 2005.
• While the Lightship Tour was a first for Bell, the aircraft itself resembled a blimp and a number of companies had used blimps for promotional purposes in the recent past. Optimum Public Relations was charged with delivering an innovative communications strategy that would attract attention and maximize media exposure for the Bell Lightship Tour.

Solution

• The key focus of Optimum’s strategy was to offer media something new; the unique experience of flying in the Bell Lightship. Due to limited space, a trip aboard quickly became a valued opportunity. During the trip, media were able to interview Bell spokespeople and the pilots.
• To make the most of in-air interview opportunities, which typically lasted half an hour, Optimum conducted a comprehensive message training program for Bell spokespeople and the Lightship Pilots.
• Optimum also identified and leveraged the numerous firsts that took place throughout the tour, including the first time a Lightship had ever crossed the Canadian Rockies, the first-ever wedding proposal onboard a Lightship in B.C., and the first wedding on a Lightship in Canada. These activities generated multiple national broadcast stories.

Results

• As a result of Optimum’s media relations program, the Lightship hosted 121 print, radio, and TV media on 43 dedicated media flights in 20 communities. Combined, this resulted in 7.4 million media impressions.
• 25% of print reports appeared on the front pages of newspapers, including 22% of coverage in outlets outside of Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. Multiple reports were witnessed in several communities, including: Cranbrook, Kamloops, and Kimberley in British Columbia, as well as Lethbridge, Red Deer and Fort McMurray in Alberta.
• Due to the highly visual aspect of the Lightship, significant broadcast coverage was generated in many markets including Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Fort St. John, Kamloops, Kelowna, Lloydminster, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Vancouver, and Victoria.
• Due to the Bell Lightship Tour’s tremendous popularity, the program was repeated, with some alterations to keep it fresh, in 2006.

Bell Lightship Wedding is a Canadian First