In Austria, Christmas is an important time for NGOs to raise donations and for shoppers to find the perfect gift. The challenge was to raise awareness for the UNHCR, whilst simultaneously also satisfying the need customers have to find the "perfect" Christmas gift for their loved ones. Most importantly, we needed this idea to spread, leading us to send out invitations to all media and press companies in the country urging them to re-think their gifting.

We combined the need for the perfect Christmas gift with the true spirit of this holiday and launched AirSentials®. Anyone in search of a Christmas present was able to do so, whilst also donating for a good cause. An additional benefit was that our "products" were 100% sustainable and free of any packaging as we wanted to address the materialism and wastefulness that occurs over the Christmas period.

We programmed a beautiful online store: www.airsentials.shop which featured classic Christmas gifts in an unusual manner by using render technology and focusing on the shadow of any set product. This in turn made it seem as if they were made up entirely of air. We also created digital gift certificates allowing the consumer to see the present that was purchased. We wanted to make sure that the idea spread across the country and needed support from the press and media, therefore we sent out e-mails and teasers prior to the AirSentials® launch.

This PR work kicked off on the 17th of December with an online billboard promoting AirSentials® on popular sites such as Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and other online newspapers. Right before Christmas, on December 23rd, a Digital Megaboard was launched on the exterior of a shopping mall in Innsbruck, Austria, just in time for any last-minute gift ideas. This was shortly followed by Billboards, Print ads and Digiscreens which were found in popular places such as underground stations, shopping streets and major newspapers around the city. AirSentials® slowly expanded into Germany and Spain and was soon to be found across the press and media landscapes. Customers were given six weeks to explore the AirSentials® webpage and choose the perfect present made up of thin air.

This work received incredibly positive and applauding media coverage in all major print national newspapers, including Austria's most esteemed Newspaper: DerStandard. We received free ad space donations in 15 different publications as well as OOH media space donated to promote the site valued at over €400.000 (source: Media1 Austria). AirSentials® gained positive feedback and coverage in industry media in three different countries; Austria, Germany and Spain. Furthermore, AirSentials® resulted in an astounding 600.000€ in earned media across the press and media landscape in Austria and beyond. Press articles were released in almost all major Austrian publications and most importantly, thousands of euros were made in donations to help those who were most in need of a Christmas miracle.