WOW Air is currently looking for four talented Snapchatters to travel around the world for free and share their snap stories this summer. These ‘Snap Travelers’ will visit four, of the airlines 28 destinations. Just think of all the cat ears, and Coachella inspired flower crowns you can place on your selfies as you travel to Barcelona, Copenhagen, Warsaw, San Francisco, etc.- all while building your social media following.
#startup WOW Airlines Is Practically Giving Away Flights From California To… https://t.co/zdCGwODDoj#snapchatpic.twitter.com/B8tBHzkyQA
— startupcrunch (@startupcrunch) January 15, 2016
The concept of travel has changed dramatically since the birth of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Now, even a trip to you local famers’ market can be presented as exciting as going to a food bazaar in Morocco---it is truly all in the perspective of the photographer and the writer. The Icelandic budget airline WOW Air recognizes that a cleverly written blurb, composed alongside of an artfully done photo will capture the attention of a generation who would use budget air travel: millennials.
This three month whirlwind dream trip would take place from June to August, with Snapchat-able activities planned to pique the interest of the airline’s followers.
Overall, it is safe to say that the concept of travel and tourism is ever evolving. Snapchat is just one of the more recent evolutions.
Snapchat, since its launch in 2012, has grown exponentially. This year, it has hit 7 million daily video views. That is 7 million people who can feel as if they are traveling somewhere without taking their eyes off their phone. Back before there was Snapchat, instagram, facebook, or even the internet, vacation destinations were shared through travel agencies, and personal photos of a trip were shared in person through (physical) photo albums or slide shows.
Or the always fun family videos of everyone’s trip to disneyland….
Now through social media traveling the world is much easier to share and experience for everyone. This is a way to break down barriers for people who cannot afford or are possibly too nervous to travel. A Snapchat campaign like WOW’s could be used to help first time travelers know how to prepare, what to expect and what to bring for their first trips outside of their home country.
Traveling, especially international travel, is intimidating. First there is getting a passport- a sometimes lengthy and almost always time consuming process. Then there is finally deciding on a destination, and picking where to stay, where to go and what to do. Oh, and there is budgeting which is a whole level of anxiety in itself - which is part of what makes WOW’s all expenses paid travel such a good deal!
Now, imagine opening up your SnapChat app and following someone who creates stories exclusively on travel preparation. You watch their process, can see their perspective and suddenly this nightmare of ticket booking and attempting to book a room in a foreign language seems--possible!
WOW air might be the first airline company to introduce the idea of using Snapchat travellers to promote their destinations, but it won’t be the last. Snap stories have the potential to make traveling feel more possible to those who are inexperienced and introduce far off corners of the world to those who cannot travel themselves. It’s a bold claim to say one company’s ad campaign can change the world, but the idea of connecting people through social media to an on the ground view of the wider planet is definitely a way to change the world.