Icelandair

Objective

Icelandair sought to strengthen its email marketing channel and grow its newsletter subscriber base by transforming routine promotional communications into memorable interactive experiences. The airline aimed to inspire travel intent and deepen emotional connection with audiences by shifting from traditional static emails to gamified, engaging brand interactions.

Solution

Icelandair launched multiple gamified email campaigns through Playable's platform. The flagship "Real vs AI" game challenged players to distinguish authentic Icelandic landscapes (Northern Lights, waterfalls, volcanic terrain) from AI-generated images, testing players' perception across markets including UK, USA, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. The secondary campaign, "What Will Your Summer Be Like?" used a 7-question personality quiz to determine travel personality archetypes and suggest destinations (Nice, Lisbon, Orlando), with prizes of €200+ gift certificates. Both campaigns were promoted across email newsletters, Facebook, Instagram, paid advertising, and owned channels (including a Times Square billboard with QR code).

Results

Real vs AI achieved 90,000+ sessions with 34,000+ registrations, a 50% completion rate representing 46,000+ plays, and 51,500+ website clicks. What Will Your Summer Be Like? generated 8,200+ sessions, 5,700+ registrations, 73% completion rate with 6,000+ plays, and 6,300+ website clicks.