KLM Surprise - Using Social Media with a Twist

A smile can go a long way! When companies come up with customer care ideas, customer satisfaction is at the top of their agenda! A friend recently showed me how some companies are using social media - KLM to be specific. The campaign is not intrusive - and yet you don't mind it 'intruding' your time at the airport! An amazing way to thank people for talking about your brand. 

When you're at the airport and getting bored, think about what it would be like if your airlines did this! 

The idea of the campaign was to just spread a smile! And I think it worked brilliantly. The little things that a brand does to make you feel special gets you talking about the brand. If the idea touches those who have not gotten gifts (like me), its even better for the company! 

From a digital marketing point of view, if the company had a video on their website (instead of YouTube), it would give the website some SEO benefits when it was shared on other websites or blogs (like this one). Of course, if KLM marketers have tweaked the embeddable code, then even this video embed should prove advantageous to the company website. 

Regardless, considering that the prime focus of the campaign was to gain brownie points from customers, the company has done extremely well! After all, who wouldn't like a little surprise when travelling? 

Around the World - Over a lifetime

I have a long list of places to visit. During my childhood, I have travelled quite a bit around India. Later during my teens, I set foot 'abroad'! My first trip overseas was to London (and I fell so madly in Love with the place, that I came back again!). Next stop was US - West coast, and last but not the least was Kenya!

That was when I realised just how much there was to see! Firstly, I need to see a whole list of places in India too! Then I want to see every city in the world! Sadly, it all costs money! This is why I want to work with a company that actually encourages people to travel!

Recently, some friends went to Ecuador, and just looking at the picture, I feel in love with the place!! I fell in love with the Spanish country-side last year when I watch the movie 'Zindagi na Milegi Dobara', and a few years before with Italy when I saw 'Under the Tuscan Sun'!! My list of places to visit seems to be growing longer and longer, but I don't seem to have a proper plan of how to travel around to those places, considering that currently I am a student, and I need to earn enough to be able to see the world!

But to start with, I will finish travelling in India! I know the Himalaya's well, thanks to all the trips we had when we were kids! Apart from the 'tourist destinations' there are loads of places up there in the lofty hills! My favorite place remains, till now at least, North Sikkim! I am still to find any other hills (or mountains) that can beat the breathtaking beauty the north east has to offer!!

More on the Himalayas later! My list moves down to the Ooty and Kodaikanal region! That is one place, I have never been, but really want to go! The next destination, would be the beaches of Goa and Kerela (you read right, not the backwaters of Kerala, but the beaches)! I have seen all these places in movies, read about them in blogs, and watched them on TV. But if there is one thing I have learnt with my travels so far -- It is that there is so much more to a place than can be covered in a camera or a few words!

Once I am done with the beaches, I plan on visiting all the various National Parks across the country (apart from Corbett - I've been there, often enough!). This shall start with Gir - yup, I've seen the lions in Masai Mara, but not the ones in India!

My list will keep getting longer! But I hope someday I can visit every place on the planet! At least 1 visit to every country (I know, it's asking for too much, but it's far from impossible!). 

First Encounter with Snow!

After coming to London, I was most excited about snow!! Back home I kept planning on my ‘white christmas‘, (which of course I never got!!)
But nonetheless, my excitement about snow continued! Many people would wonder why anyone would get as excited about snow as me!
I first saw snow the week before christmas. That aired my hopes of a white Christmas!
Though sadly, I hardly saw the snow once it hit the ground! I suppose I shoul be saying that it was my first glimpse if snowfall in London!!
Towards the end of January, London suddenly decided to introduce me to snow!!

It was beautiful!! But of course, I have only seen snow twice before and so the excitement had no bounds!! I wanted to do everything kids did in the snow!
So I made my very first snowman!! Not that it was perfect, but then, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder!!
The thing about snow is, as long as it snows its warm! The moment it stops, thats when the cold sets in!
This still did not stop classes etc., so I had to continue running to university every day!

Walking on snow can be tricky at times! Fresh snow is not the troube! The problem is the day after it as snowed, when due to the cold, the snow freezes! Ice is formed which is extremely slippery!
Regardless of what people may say, walking in the snow is fun. Sure I used to almost slip at times, but that doesmt mean it was a nightmare walking! On the contrary, it was quite exciting!

The first day, I tried walking in the snow with plastic bags tied to my feet. It worked as far as saving my shoes was concerned, but not more than that! When running to school, I just decided to go ahead wearing my shoes and walking in the snow! It was just amazing! 

Virgin uses Social Media in Style!

Since I love travelling and social media, I dream to become the social media manager/coordinator of a multinational travel company (note: when I say travel, I mean any sort of travel (airlines, travel coordinators, etc.). I thought of logging my views on various social media campaigns started by companies in the travel industry.

Social media is intended to connect people. When travelling, staying connected is probably one of the most important factors of all. Virgin Atlantic, cashed in on this very point when they set-up "Vtravelled"

This became a social travel site where travellers could share their experiences, comment and like each other's posts, etc. In other words, it was like a Facebook, but intended only for travellers. The company also started a blog which was managed by company employees. A fantastic marketing idea!

It's one of the best ways to build your brand identity and brand name! I love reading the various stories on the blog! One of the things that stands out on this blog is the fact that it integrates all the social media aspects of the Virgin travel section! An amazing initiative by Virgin!

More about Virgin's social media initiatives next time!

Vagabondage Exploring

I love travelling. If given a choice, I would just keep going from one place to another exploring every inch of the planet. Unfortunately, money makes travelling possible (most of the times!). But that does not go to say that I have never travelled! I have, to many places around the world.

But as the name suggests, my travels have been vagabondage! For those who are unfamiliar with the word, it means 'idle wandering'. I love going to places without any 'reason' to go there. That is the best way to see a new place.

When you have expectations from a place, you know what you will feel like when you visit the spot. You have seen pictures of the place and all the famous 'tourist' spots for ages! This only takes you one step closer to getting to see what everyone has seen.

For a quick visit, this may be perfectly fine! But what about people who want to spend time getting to know how people there live? If you like hanging around the local village just to see how the natives live, you are surely a vagabondage explorer!