Brussels Airport

How we put Brussels Airport on the map with influencer marketing

When our colleagues are asked “So, who do you work for?” they will most likely proudly say “Brussels Airport”. Nearly all of our skills come in handy at the airport. In this case, we are happy to showcase one of our influencer campaigns.

  • Influencers as part of the marketing mix

  • Brand awareness and inspiration

  • Complete care by iO

  • Data based approach

  • Impressive results

iO and Brussels Airport 

Brussels is the heart of Europe. Brussels Airport is also the heart of Europe. At least, it is for everyone visiting our country by plane or leaving it to see one of over 170 destinations. By focusing on the experience as a whole, Brussels Airport performs even better as a hub. Everything revolves around offering the best possible experience. 

To showcase that, we work as an extension of the airport. We do so in terms of strategy, technology, marketing, content, data and research. It’s a hybrid collaboration between our teams and the Brussels Airport team. By combining all our skills, we are stronger.  

In this case, we zoom in on our influencer marketing campaign for 2022. Find out how we inspired various target audiences to travel (departing at Brussels Airport). 

Don’t forget to read our in-depth case on Brussels Airport and get an idea of our 360° collaboration. 

First and foremost: what is influencer marketing?

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Whether they like it or not, personalities with a large network are influencers. By doing what they do and sharing what they share, they influence their large followings – knowingly or unknowingly.

Through influencer marketing, we can take advantage of that by having those people promote products or services in a way that feels organic. Authenticity and credibility are essential to this type of marketing. Because this is not the consumer’s first rodeo. If the images of the influencer and the business don’t fit, you will get called out.  

Why does Brussels Airport rely on influencers?

Simply put, we want to inspire and inform potential travellers to start their journey at Brussels Airport or pass through Brussels Airport. The airport relied on eleven influencers in 2022 to create awareness around Brussels Airport and its destinations through Instagram.

Influencers at Brussels Airport

Picture of happy people at Brussels Airport

A blend of influencer profiles

Brussels Airport targets various audiences, so we created a diverse blend of influencer profiles.  

We presented a healthy mix of micro and meso influencers because they hit that sweet spot between a large audience, sufficient engagement and personal interaction with their followers. 

You can divide influencers in certain ways. When we’re talking about the following, it looks something like this: 

Micro-, meso-, macro-, ...?

1-5k

Nano

5-50k

Micro

50-100k

Meso

100k-1M

Macro

+1M

Mega

Additionally, we have travelling singles and young couples with or without children. We also draw the distinction there. Brussels Airport enjoys working with travel and family bloggers, singles and couples. Furthermore, it relies on two Brussels Airport Ambassadors.  

We asked all these people to capture three different elements in a specific way that suits their style: 

    Schedule a conversation?

    Picture of influencer mom with baby at Brussels Airport

    Approach

    So what was iO’s role in the collaboration between Brussels Airport and the influencers? 

    Just like casting directors, we sought out the right influencers for the part of Appealing Traveller Profile. We briefed the chosen few and communicated our expectations. 

    What kind of posts do we want? How many and of what quality? A clear list of deliverables completely decimated any confusion. And we provided contracts and handled every administrative task

    And then there’s the content itself. And then there’s the content itself. If you assume that influencers make random stories all day, you are wrong. First and foremost, we discuss what we want. What kind of reel would draw attention? Which spots at the airport are perfect for the influencer’s Instagram? The feel the influencer has for the target audience and our knowledge of social platforms and Brussels Airport is the perfect blend to create successful content. 

    To create long-term value, we asked the influencer to shoot high-res images for every trip, as well. Those visuals can be used unlimitedly for future campaigns.

    Not without obligation

    We want to see results – as we do with any marketing activity. Whether we’re dealing with Google Ads or influencers, our client invests and expects a return. We set up a detailed reporting flow that includes the reach, impressions, impressions, earned media value, cost per impression, etc. We compared the various influencers and looked into how they did now in comparison with earlier campaigns. After analysing what worked and figuring out who met the benchmark, we made recommendations for future campaigns. 

    Conclusion: worth it 

    The campaign generated great results. It shows that influencers really do deserve a place in your marketing strategy.  

    Can you see the value of influencer marketing, but do you not know how to get started? We’re happy to help you set up a strong strategy and campaign. 

    Want to know more about this collaboration?

    Contact iO – our specialists can’t wait to hear your questions.