Heineken’s Departure Roulette

BCD Travel powers logistics for Wieden+Kennedy’s adventurous promotion.

Set schedules and exact itineraries define travel today. But what if all that planning were tossed aside for a last-minute, once-in-a-lifetime adventure? That’s exactly what happened when a few bold travelers agreed to play Heineken’s Departure Roulette.

The famous beer-maker’s Departure Roulette promotion and related “Voyage” advertising campaign were created by BCD Travel client Wieden+Kennedy. BCD Travel powered the travel logistics.

Here’s how it worked: Select U.S. travelers (25 and older) who arrived at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with tickets and passports in hand were asked to drop existing plans and go where fate sent them. Those who agreed pushed the Departure Roulette button connected to an old-fashioned flight clicker board. A few seconds later, an adventurous destination—such as New Zealand, Spain, Romania, Estonia, Chile or Peru—appeared, and the traveler was on his way.

Behind the scenes, BCD agents helped turn these dream journeys into realities. They booked last-minute flights and made other arrangements, letting the stunned globetrotters focus on their adventures. “Departure Roulette was a lot of fun for our agents,” said Jorge Cruz, BCD Travel’s senior vice president, North America. “But ultimately we offered these adventurers the same kind of excellent service we provide to our road-warrior business travel clients every day.”

Check out a video of Heineken’s Departure Roulette launch below and see how Wieden+Kennedy created a follow-up road show to ensure the adventures continued.

 

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