Velocity Frequent Flyer launches new brand positioning, program initiatives and ‘Velocity means fast’ creative platform via Special

Velocity Frequent Flyer, partnering with Special Australia has ushered in a new era with the announcement of its new brand positioning with a series of major initiatives to evolve its program offering, alongside a new platform, new logo and its first brand campaign in over five years.

The new platform “Velocity means fast” highlights the brand’s promise of creating speed and momentum for members to get to their rewards faster.

With the top loyalty program concern for more than half of Australians being “the effort required to earn rewards”, the new Velocity means fast platform promises to help Velocity members to earn and redeem rewards, fast.

The launch not only highlights existing program differentiators, but also sets out to prove its promise with a series of new program offerings.

To that end, Velocity is launching a category disruptive “1 Point Rewards” promotion, which takes on the cluttered and crowded rewards marketplace, giving Velocity members never-before-seen speed to the rewards they care most about. Developed with Special, Velocity’s 1 Point Rewards gives members the opportunity to access a range of Velocity’s incredible rewards – from domestic and international flights to Dyson and Apple products and more – for just 1 Velocity Point, until 2 July 2023.

Says Libby Minogue, CMO at Virgin Australia: “Ultimately, Virgin Australia is known and loved as an experience brand. So when it comes to launching a new platform to Velocity members, it’s crucial for us not to simply talk the talk, but to walk the walk – and we’re proud to bring to market a genuinely category-disruptive innovation, that gets our members to wonderful rewards, fast.”

Similarly to when Middle Seat Lottery was developed for Virgin Australia, 1 Point Rewards required an integrated cross-functional team to innovate around existing systems to create this experience for members, with existing infrastructures being adjusted to allow for large value reward redemptions to be exchanged for a single Point.

1 Point Rewards will be available online at the Velocity Reward Store in limited drops each week at undisclosed times until 2 July 2023, with clues about live drop timing available from the Velocity app and by following @VelocityFrequentFlyer on Instagram. Click here for more information.

To celebrate the launch of 1 Point Rewards, Velocity will open its first ever pop-up Rewards Store on Melbourne’s Chapel Street. The store will open for 24 hours (or until sold out) on Saturday 10 June at 9am, giving Velocity members the chance to nab coveted items including flights and tech items, before the nation-wide initiative launches online on Sunday 11 June 2023.

In addition to existing program offerings designed to create speed to rewards, including earning Points faster by flying with Virgin Australia (5 Points per $1 spent on eligible flights), Family Points Pooling, and Gold Status faster than any other Australian frequent flyer program, new program initiatives developed for launch include:

– Velocity members can now fly for fewer Velocity Points across Australia with the program’s new domestic Reward Seat pricing now being lower than any other Australian airline (taxes, fees and carrier charges apply in addition to Reward Seat pricing).
– From June 5, more than one million additional Virgin Australia domestic Reward Seats will be released to members marking one of the largest releases in the airline’s history. Ends 18 June 2023.

Says Emma King, general manager member engagement at Velocity Frequent Flyer: “We know that as a loyalty program Velocity is already fast to earn Points, redeem rewards and climb the Status ranks. Our campaign celebrates that important differentiator and reminds Australians that with Velocity, wonderful rewards like holidays are within reach. With the rising cost of living, this message is even more important and Velocity will continue to lead the way in delivering members great value rewards and recognition fast.”

The platform launches with an integrated brand campaign, spanning broadcast, online video, digital, OOH and social. The dreamlike brand film brings to life the ease and speed with which Velocity members can go from earning points to enjoying rewards fast. Set in an Australian resort, a diverse range of members are instantly transported from where they were earning their reward points – flying for business, topping their car up at the bowser, and filling their supermarket trolley – to the idyllic holiday destination.

Says Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt, creative directors at Special: “In a category full of complicated programs and offers, ‘Velocity Means Fast’ is a simple promise. And making flights available for just 1 Point for a limited time is a wonderfully simple way to live up to it. The first of many more to come.”

Virgin Australia Group
Nick Rohrlach – CEO, Velocity Frequent Flyer
Libby Minogue – Chief Marketing Officer
Paul Jones – Chief Customer & Digital Officer
Emma King – General Manager, Member Engagement
Natasa Le Prevost – Head of Coalition Marketing
Kate Austin – Velocity Frequent Flyer Marketing Leader
Ash Wall – Velocity Frequent Flyer Marketing Leader
Erina Chapman – Virgin Australia Brand Marketing Leader
Ange Grant, Head of Paid Media, Retail and Content
Matthew Ongarello, Head of Consumer PR & Social
Lauren Hunt, Consumer PR Manager

Special Australia
Chief Creative Officers – Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
Creative Directors – Simon Gibson & Nils Eberhardt
Creatives – Cat Williams & Jessica Roberts
Social – Laura Grimshaw & Hannah McCowatt
Head of Design – Adam Shear
CEO – Lindsey Evans
Strategy Partner – Dave Hartmann
General Manager – Lily Waters
Team Lead – Rachel McEwen
Business Director – Sarah Calver
Business Manager – Brynee Roche, Molly Dyer
Strategist – Will Moore
Head of Film Production – Sevda Cemo
Integrated Producer – Alyce Guy
Senior Stills Producer – Sonia Ebrington
Media – PHD
Group Business Director – Erin Hudson
Head of Strategy (Sydney) – Remi Baker
Business Director – Jeremy Hooper
Group Digital Director – Andie Potter
Planning Director – Riya Thakerar
Investment Manager – Hugh Davidson

Production Company – DIVISION
Director – Jessie Oldfield and Adam Murfet (Jessie&Adam)
Cinematographer – Jeremy Rouse
Executive Producer – Genevieve Triquet
Producer – Sarah Nichols

Editor – Stew Arnott
Post Producer – Chris Grocott

Post Production –
Colourist – Fergus Rotheringham

Music
Artist – Bubble Tea By Whateverest
Publisher – Luke Mckay / Kobalt Music

Sound Studio – Rumble Studios
Sound Engineer – Tone Aston / Sean Wilkinson

Photography – Pool Collective
Photographers – Sean Izzard
Retoucher – Sterne Creative Retouching

Activation Production – Lost In LA
Christina Argyros
Niesha Leinonen De Jong