Goal 

As the oldest operating airline worldwide, KLM has long been a leader in the world of travel. But they are also a leader in travel inspiration. For Real Deal Days 2024, a time when KLM offers travelers deals and inspiration for authentic travel experiences, the Benelux team wanted to help travelers find a new perspective on the world. They brought in Churandy Martina, a well-known Dutch athlete from Curaçao, to add a deeper level of authenticity to their message and show that travelers can really experience the essence of any destination with KLM.

Launched in January, timed with peak travel purchases, KLM's campaign targeted users across the Netherlands. The ads were carefully crafted, highlighting Martina’s homeplace, Curacao, as a dream destination -  drawing viewers in before subtly nudging them towards booking their next adventure with KLM.

Strategy 

One of the key tactics employed by KLM was the use of Pinterest's Premiere Spotlight. This takeover format helped them to maximize their visibility by securing prime ad placements on both the home feed and search page. Premiere Spotlight provided KLM with an exclusive opportunity to help drive awareness, by placing their message front and centre on Pinterest. 

What made KLM's use of Premiere Spotlight truly innovative? Adapting it for lower-funnel performance. KLM was able to leverage Premiere Spotlight to help drive direct response actions like flight bookings and add to carts, via strategic retargeting tactics to maximize their campaign's impact. 

By building an engagement audience from users who interacted with their campaign, KLM was able to retarget with follow-up campaigns aimed at driving conversions. This personalized approach ensured that KLM stayed top-of-mind for potential customers, increasing the likelihood of them choosing KLM when they were ready to book their trips. Through a mix of video and carousel ads, they showcased the allure of Curacao before smoothly transitioning to flight fares and promotions.

The campaign achieved a remarkable 5.9% incremental lift in Add to Cart actions, showing a significant surge in user engagement.¹ There was also an impressive 77% improvement in Checkout Cost per Acquisition (CPA) year over year, demonstrating the campaign's efficacy in helping to drive conversions.² The campaign also generated a +1.0 pt lift in action intent and a +1.2 pt lift in Pin awareness, showcasing the campaign's ability to enhance brand visibility and engagement.³

Tips for your next campaign

Try these Pinterest best practices to help get more out of your ads.

1. Strategically Time Your Campaigns: Start sales periods with Premiere Spotlight to generate buzz, then follow up with conversion campaigns aligned with peak sales periods.

2. Build a Comprehensive Funnel: Identify interested users, bring them into your funnel, and retarget effectively to guide them towards conversion.

3. Maximize the Potential of Premiere Spotlight: Leverage Premiere Spotlight beyond mass reach, using it to target lower funnel success and various campaign types.