Yes, I am back from my Beijing sojourn together with my family. It was unforgettable and memorable.
On the day of our departure on Christmas Eve, we spent about an hour or so wandering Changi Airport Terminal 2 before leaving on our plane. There, we came across an interesting roadshow cum promotion which the airport was running while celebrating the Christmas season.
I thought that it was quite innovative to encourage travellers to spend more at the various retail and F&B outlets at the airport, while providing a Chrismassy feel through the use of experiential marketing techniques. What makes this special is that it took place at an airport rather than a shopping mall. Increasingly though, airports are repositioning themselves as lifestyle destinations - in fact, the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has a casino and mortuary in it!
This standee here shows the varied activities that occur in Changi Airport to usher in yuletide cheer. Notice that the main presenting sponsor VISA's logo is prominently displayed.
An entire Santa's Village was created - well maybe a mini version of it - complete with beautifully rendered icons of Christmas.
Here's a closer view of the Christmas tree (which I always loved), complete with a teddy bear, Frosty the Snowman and a reindeer.
Another view of the tree, with a blonde toy angel, building blocks, and a tin soldier.
To add to the spirit of the season, an "elf band" played various Christmas carols and familiar ditties to entertain the kiddies.
A nicely rendered Santa's sleigh complete with reindeers and neon lighting made for a good photo opportunity. Here's Tina and Ethan giving Rudolph a hard time...
...and another shot of Ethan and I riding behind jolly ol' Saint Nick. Better known as Santa Claus to the kids.
Of course, any promotion worth its salt must have a way of attracting people beyond just the titillating their senses. While we loved the nice decor, we had to admit that the lucky draw was also a major factor drawing us here. Well, we did get a cute reindeer designed pencil as a Christmas lucky dip gift.
After checking out Santa's Village, we walked towards our aeroplane, which is Singapore's national carrier and a great way to fly.
Here's Ethan getting all comfy on board the plane, ready for his adventures in the land where Chinese civilisation began. Beijing here we go!Labels: beijing, experiential marketing, family, Holiday