Campaign Lead: Marketing, Communications & Experiential Activation
Make‑A‑Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire needed a new way to increase airline mile donations — a critical resource for granting travel wishes. I developed a proposal for the Orange County Board of Supervisors to secure approval for a co‑branded partnership with John Wayne Airport, launching the Trips That Transform campaign.
Once approved, I collaborated closely with airport leadership, staff, and vendors to shape the campaign strategy, messaging, and on‑site experience. I led educational sessions with airport teams to share the mission, the impact of travel wishes, and the importance of airline mile donations. I also built a custom website to track donations and visitor engagement throughout the campaign.
Campaign Creative & On‑Site Marketing
I produced a full suite of branded collateral displayed throughout the airport, including:
- Roadside banners at departure drop off
- 21 terminal banners along the departure concourse
- Window clings at all airport entrances
- Pop‑up banners — nearly 50 placed throughout the airport
- Printed ads in available high‑traffic spaces
- Digital ads for baggage claim signage and terminal screens
- Table tents in airport restaurants and retail shops
Experiential Launch Moment
To create a meaningful media moment aligned with the campaign launch, we designed a Make‑A‑Wish Lounge — a family‑friendly space where travelers could relax with their children before flights. All furniture and décor were donated by community partners.
We officially opened the lounge with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony featuring wish children. It was a joyful, high‑energy event (and yes — we quickly learned that markers and tiny game pieces are not ideal for very excited kids).
Newsworthy Moments
In addition to the campaign at the John Wayne Airport, we launched a media campaign with our partners at KTLA. We started “Make-A-Wish Wednesdays” that offered us an in-studio interview every week for the month of August.
Additional Promotion
Over the course of the campaign, we additionally promoted Trips That Transform through Make-A-Wish’s print and email newsletters, website and social media pages.
Results
The campaign resulted in record-breaking airline mile donations and a standout example of community-driven impact. Additionally, we received over $100k in donated advertising space and printing from John Wayne Airport.