With new flights launching almost every day worldwide, United Airlines’ new Sydney to Houston route needed a standout campaign to grab attention. However, we faced a challenge since our budget was limited. So we developed a cost-effective earned media concept: an international contest with a unique twist. To participate, contestants had to be Australians with the first or last name Houston or Texans with the name Sydney.

Initially, we used earned media and social channels to promote the contest and encourage participation. Then we amplified the campaign through an editorial-driven initiative on Sydney radio, driving more awareness.

The result was a resounding success, with an impressive 14,000 entries, and bringing Australia and America together like never before. The campaign’s unique approach expanded coverage beyond the expected, earning media attention from prominent outlets such as The Daily Telegraph, KIIS FM radio, Talking Lifestyle Radio, Pedestrian.tv, and international media outlets based in the US.

 Key achievements:

• 34,890 unique visitors to the website 

• Over 400 earned media articles in total 

• 97% positive articles