Kenya Airways Sustainable Flight Challenge
Kenya Airways
Brand marketing | Social impact & sustainability
Kenya Airways (KQ) was always known for its aesthetic, a signature red tail on its aircraft that makes its way to runways across the world. But when Edelman Africa was tasked with finding a creative new way for KQ to join The Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC), we knew that it was time for the airline to go from red to green – and become active participants in the dialogue around sustainability in aviation.
The Challenge
The Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC), presented by SkyTeam, is a competition designed to challenge the aviation industry by stimulating and accelerating innovation, sustainability, and change.
Edelman planned and executed a pan-African-wide multiplatform media campaign to demonstrate the future of sustainable aviation.
Our objectives were to:
• Elevate KQ’s brand equity;
• Build and maintain KQ’s reputation;
• Leverage and onboard key partners and stakeholders to support the campaign project.
The Strategy
The campaign which ran as “red going green”, demonstrated KQ’s commitment towards sustainable aviation. Using our transmedia storytelling approach, we decided to develop the right content, for the right channels for the right audience.
Additionally, this approach provided the airline with the opportunity to demonstrate its long-term commitment to sustainable aviation for Kenya and Africa’s socio-economic development thus enabling the region to fly to a better future.
The Execution
Content Development: We provided strategic communications and public relations counsel to ensure that all external communications were aligned with the airline’s messaging.
Customer Participation: Weeks before the Sustainable Flight Challenge, we developed communication to inform passengers to participate in offsetting Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through the ‘voluntary Carbon offsetting tool’.
Press Release Distribution: Three press releases were distributed across each phase of the Sustainable Flight Challenge.
Social Media Engagement: To drive digital visibility, we leveraged the “red goes green” social media campaign to take users on a journey of intimate interactions with all the initiatives being undertaken by the airline for its long-haul flight: Nairobi-London.
The campaign served as a platform to engage and give testimonials about KQ’s Sustainability practices and how the airline is committed to Flying to a Better Future.
The Outcome
During the entire campaign, Kenya Airways participation in TSFC generated over 70 pieces of coverage across print, broadcast, and online publications which included features on the partnerships during the flight.
There was increased conversation during the red goes green campaign. The topic was extensively covered in aviation media including: Aviation Metric, Times Aerospace, Aero News, Aviators Africa.
KQ's in-flight catering facility in collaboration with NAS Servair (NAS) won Best Partnership as part of The Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC).
During the flight challenge, passengers were served with a carefully selected eco-friendly menu prepared in partnership with NAS. Ingredients were sourced from local Kenyan farmers who specialise in growing organic produce.
NAS General Manager, Stephane Lopez said that the flight solidified the relationship with Kenya Airways, proving flexibility, service consistency and sustainable approach to customers with in-flight catering services.
The campaign won the Public Sector category in the 2023 SABRE Africa awards.