In November 2023, while scrolling TikTok, we spotted an opportunity. Creator Yvette Segan had just gone viral with a video sharing that her boyfriend had broken up with her. She ended it by saying she wanted to go to Europe.
As a travel company dedicated to group travel for 18-35 year olds, we thought, we can help with that!
Through a partnership with Yvette and her best friend and fellow influencer Hope Woodard, we turned a spontaneous, emotional moment into a brand-defining campaign for Contiki.
Strategy & Creative Approach
Our idea was simple but powerful: rather than just sliding into Yvette’s DMs, I decided to make our outreach public, giving us a potential brand opportunity too.
We roped in the President of Contiki in North America to create a reactive TikTok stitch video. This made the partnership feel organic, fast, and fun, while also capitalising on the real-time virality of her breakup moment.
This creative approach was rooted in data. Contiki’s global Voice of a Generation survey of 6,000+ young people revealed that 18% had booked a trip to deal with a breakup. Exactly what Yvette’s story reflected.
Yvette and Hope joined a London to Berlin by Train Contiki trip, documenting the experience in their own authentic voices. Each post mapped back to a Contiki message:
- Yvette’s stitch announcing her trip brought excitement and emotional resonance.
- A follow-up about “making it out of the group chat” tapped into the relatable chaos of organising travel with friends.
- Hope’s post captured an authentic “only-on-Contiki” moment of global connection — a travel education moment mid-trip.
Together, these moments gave audiences a genuine window into the Contiki experience — spontaneous, social, and transformative.
Constraints & Challenges
The biggest challenge was speed. We had to act fast! From spotting the opportunity to sending Yvette to London in under two weeks. With her rising profile, we needed to secure the partnership quickly, brief her clearly, and trust her to bring our brand to life in her own style.
Results
The campaign well exceeded targets:
- 9.09M total views (vs 7.5M target)
- 715K total likes (vs 600K target)
- 2.9K comments (vs 2K target)
- 376% increase in TikTok follower growth during the campaign window
- 585% increase in TikTok profile views
- 60% uplift in traffic to Contiki’s Europe destination pages in the US
A great reactive campaign that brought Contiki to a new audience through authenticity, speed, and social storytelling.
