Richard Branson never rests. Instead, he's always starting new ventures while continuing to run his successful Virgin Group businesses. The latest venture combines old standards like musical performances with massive participatory activities. These activities include standbys like running and cycling while adding newer ones such as mass yoga, boot camps, live art exhibits, and other modern favorites. The new company overseeing these ventures is known as Virgin Sport.

Fitness is trendy, but few have been able to actually make it fun. This is what Virgin Sport hopes to change with its massed events. It combines mass participation with easily-reachable goals to get people to come out and be part of the spectacle. Short runs, such as its upcoming 5.5 kilometer race at Hackney in East London, ensure that plenty of people can partake without feeling overwhelmed. Similarly-reachable goals are common at many of its other events, including some scheduled to take place in the United States, though there are some advanced activities as well.

One of the things that make the new company's events different from the typical mass sporting situations is the entire "festival" aspect. The fitness aspect is just one part of this. Musical performances, other entertainment, mass dance classes and parties, mass yoga classes, a free fitness boot camp, free photos of the race, a bagful of swag, and more all happen on a festival day. This makes it so even couch and desk potatoes can attend and have plenty of excitement and fun.

Unlike many festival presenters, the point of all of this isn't simply marketing. Virgin Sport intends to make money from the festivals themselves. This gives the company extra incentive to ensure that there are plenty of attractions to keep people entertained all day long.

To keep the festivals from getting repetitive, Virgin Group moves them to different cities instead of having them as ongoing events in just one place. This provides new audiences for the company and keeps things fresh for attendees. On top of that, it brings a compelling aspect to each festival: the "now or never" feeling that gets people to go ahead and attend.

While not every company is ready to take over part of a city for a day in order to hold an extravaganza, it is possible to put on an unforgettable show by renting a large indoor venue. Our facility here at Soho Studios can provide up to 70,000 square feet of customizable space – enough to set up a large massed event on an indoor track, rock climbing face, or other sports-oriented set. Just contact us to learn more about how we can help you put on an unforgettable festival of your own.

January might be gone, but Virgin Atlantic’s flight attendant surprise event is pleasantly engrained in our memories. In promotion of its all-new Seattle-Tacoma International Airport departures to London Heathrow Airport, Virgin Atlantic hosted a recognition party in Emerald City. Emphasizing the airway between Seattle and London, the airline successfully highlighted its newest business routes.

The Reignmakers

The Virgin Atlantic campaign introduced “Reignmakers” which was a community reflecting London and Seattle’s “reign” and “rain.” We know, it seems a little forward. The display was, however, surprisingly poignant. All about cultural recognition, the Reignmakers hosted a massive, two-day party. Flight attendants zipped around Seattle in Virgin Atlantic labeled Mini Coopers, flying the airline’s flag.

Meanwhile, the event’s later hours hosted parties for the airline’s dedicated fans and passerby alike. Handing out swag to social leaders, radio stations, influential shop owners and small business owners, Virgin Atlantic connected consumers to industry trendsetters. High-traffic locations, naturally, were prioritized. In Seattle, refreshments were dished out on plane drink carts. Branded umbrellas and luggage tags were among the Virgin Atlantic swag collection.

Planes, Plans and People

Virgin Atlantic successfully aligned its newest business route with customers, prioritizing people above all. The approach might ambitious at first, but Virgin Atlantic has historically provided fantastic service. This time, indeed, was no different. The airline’s relationship with its customers has always focused on the incomparable Virgin Atlantic experience, and the Reignmakers honored such a tradition.

Virgin Atlantic paired its consumer base with media influencers, hosting private breakfasts with big-time travel and lifestyle impactors. Hosted at Seattle’s The London Plane, the dinner dished out more branded gifts, exclusive messages from the airline’s founder Sir Richard Branson and even free onboard flight opportunities. Here, the airline’s goal was twofold: Eventgoers could experience the Virgin Atlantic hospitality while prepping for a high-end blogging experience.

Taking to Social Media

Reflecting the Virgin Atlantic attention to blogging detail, it pushed for additional promotion via social media. Seattle played host to the airline’s Reignmakers contest, and visitors could nominate their favorite brand supporters. There was heavy consideration of Virgin Atlantic visionaries, and rewards were given to those who subverted typical Virgin Atlantic ideologies, presentations and displays.

The contest took place until February 28, giving the Reignmakers ample time to get prepared, get social, get visible and—of course—party. A Seattle-based Twitter campaign gave eventgoers a place to post photos, link to Instagram and type their favorite tags. All around, the Virgin Atlantic experiential marketing approach was highly visible. It’s rare to witness such a social-heavy airlines marketing campaign. It’s also comforting. Virgin Atlantic displayed an uncanny knack for social relevancy, and it highlighted its most profitable marketing segment while remaining relevant to others—which is always a difficult hurdle.