CASE STUDY:
AVIS ALASKA
"Our Car, Your Adventure": Elevating Avis Alaska's Digital Presenace
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
When Avis Alaska teamed up with IMAGINE Agency and Colorado Arts Productions, their goal was simple: showcase the spirit of Alaskan adventure, increase brand awareness nationwide, and drive more rental bookings, even in the midst of a global pandemic. In four years and four production trips spanning winter and summer, we captured everything from dog-sled teams under the Iditarod trail to sweeping Denali vistas, built a rich library of video and photo assets, and launched a multi-channel digital campaign under the slogan “Our Car, Your Adventure.”
- Campaign Management
- Social Media Strategy
- Digital Advertising
- Content Creation
THE CHALLENGE
- No in-house content: Avis Alaska had minimal fresh marketing assets and relied on dated or stock footage.
- Seasonal storytelling: Highlight both winter and summer experiences across multiple locations (Anchorage, Kenai, Fairbanks, Denali, and off-the-beaten-path gems).
- COVID complications: Our first shoot in March 2020 required rigorous coordination around travel restrictions, permits, and safety protocols.
- Audience fragmentation: Reaching prospective renters searching for “Alaska vacations” across diverse channels like Meta Facebook and Instagram, Google and Youtube search, and touchpoints in the Anchorage airport.
THE SOLUTION
We developed a comprehensive strategy to coordinate seasonal campaigns with ongoing content development.
Strategy & Creative
Integrated Production Schedule
- Four trips over four years to capture each season and key landmarks.
- Mixed approach: hired actors for scripted ads, Avis staff for authentic “day-in-the-life” pieces.
- Culture video with Avis Alaska leadership, spotlighting the family-owned franchise’s customer-service ethos.
Asset Library
- Dozens of :15–:60 spots for Facebook, Instagram, Google Display, and airport loops.
- High-resolution stills of new vehicles juxtaposed with glaciers, tundra roads, and wildlife.
- Custom loop for the Anchorage airport Avis booth—100% original footage, no stock.
Multi-Channel Digital Campaign
- Social: Targeted Facebook & Instagram ads nationwide to users researching “Alaska vacations.”
- Search: Google Search & Display campaigns driving users to booking pages along with video pre-roll ads on Youtube channels related to Alaska tourism.
- On-site: Website refresh with new hero imagery and embedded culture video.
The RESULTS
Over a 12-month period (April 28, 2020–May 11, 2021), our combined social and search efforts delivered:
- Facebook & Instagram Reach: 596,763 unique users
- Social Impressions: 1,594,696
- Total Ad Impressions (all channels): 2,417,696
- Social-Driven Site Visitors: 26,966 (58.9% of total visitors)
- Visitors Directly from All Ads: 36,266
- Ad Spend: $14,319.50 over 12 months ($0.39 per visitor)
Note: While individual bookings couldn’t all be directly tracked, overall online bookings saw a marked uplift compared to pre-campaign periods.