KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is in the business of bringing people together: it unites families, friends and other relations all over the world.

At the end of a year with much turbulence in this world, KLM wanted to use Christmastime to communicate a message of unity, togetherness and sharing. A message that would touch people, create sympathy for the brand and contribute to KLM’s brand purpose ‘Moving your world by creating memorable experiences’. A message that had to reach as many people around the world as possible through ‘earned media’, since the client’s media budget was limited.

KLM asked agency to create this message. As always, it asked us to develop a story that would evolve around real people, not actors.

Airports can be lonely places. Especially when you are travelling around Christmastime, a time for sharing, unity and togetherness.

We installed a table for 20 in the busiest part of one of Europe’s biggest airports, but it was 4.5 meters high, so that people could not reach the Christmas dinner served on it. 20 stools surrounding the table were equipped with a pressure sensor. With every traveller that sat down on a stool, the table lowered a little.

Random travellers who sat down on a stool were intrigued and started to work together with others to lower the table. Dozens of people from all over the world put their phones or books aside and enjoyed a very special Christmas dinner together. Nothing was staged. We filmed the event – all about sharing, unity and togetherness – and shared a compilation of the best moments of the day online right beforeChristmas.

In the busiest part of one of Europe’s biggest airports (Schiphol) we built a table you couldn’t miss. It was there from morning till evening, giving every traveller that day the opportunity to use it and thus bond with fellow travellers.

The table had a Christmas dinner on top of it, towered 4.5 meters high, and was surrounded by 20 stools. Every time a person sat down on a stool, the table lowered a little bit, inviting strangers to work together.

A compilation of the day’s best moments was shared via KLM’s social channels just before Christmas. We concentrated all our promotional efforts in a single week around Christmas. 80% of the results are accomplished through earned media effects.