Three winning uses of personalisation technology in travel Published August 10, 2017 In this post, we take a look at how three companies are using the latest technology to create a personal approach in the world of travel and tourism. Ask any travel or accommodation brand how they intend to improve their service and they’ll tell you it’s by making it more personal. By offering special, personal touches that connect with the customer they can create memorable experiences that make others feel valued and inspired, nurturing a sense of loyalty. Read on to learn how British Airways, Princess Cruises, and Air New Zealand are using personalisation—and get some inspiration for your own campaigns. British Airways – Billboard personalisation British Airways inspired people on the ground to take flight with their personalised billboard in Piccadilly Circus. Using a little digital magic, the board features a small boy asking pedestrians to look up as flights pass by. It cleverly displays the boy identifying the flight number and destination. The technology involved reads a plane’s location, speed, altitude, and sign-in to create a virtual tripwire in the air, triggering billboards to display messages at the right time. Looking up in the air and wondering what exotic location a plane is going to is a scenario many of us are familiar with. This campaign is a lovely example of how a brand can use cutting-edge technology to put themselves at the forefront of the public’s mind. Princess Cruises – Ocean Medallion™ The Ocean Medallion™ is a wearable device provided free to each guest on board Princess Cruises. Etched with the passenger’s name and cruise date, the technology allows for a streamlined embarkation and debarkation process. It also gives people the ability to locate friends and family throughout the ship as well as unlocking the passenger’s cabin. But what makes this technology special is its ability to offer the passengers a truly personalised experience based on their behaviours, likes, and interests. Sensors record the passengers’ movements and use the personal profiles completed before their vacations to give them a personalised cruise experience. Using data on their preferences around food, activities, and lifestyle, the device is able to offer personalised suggestions for menu choices, activities, and entertainment. Air New Zealand – Microsoft’s HoloLens headset Air New Zealand is currently beta-testing technology that allows their flight attendants to access their customers’ data as they’re interacting with them. Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets are being used to identify passengers’ names through facial recognition, access details about their destination, allergies, and even the time since they got their last beverage. According to some reports the devices will also allow them to read passengers’ emotions better through visual and audio cues. We love the idea of incorporating augmented reality into the customer journey. But, we think the look of the headsets need a bit of work, as they might be a tad off-putting when you’re actually chatting to the crew! Conclusion All three of these personalisation examples are bound to make a big personal impression on those experiencing them. We can’t say for sure whether the specific technology these brands have used is here to stay, but one thing is for certain: making every interaction more personal makes for better and more memorable customer experiences. Here at Pure360, our behavioural targeting technology empowers our customers to display personalised content to each and every email recipient and website visitor.