DELTA UPLIFT
Client
Delta Air Lines
Co-Brand Division
Year
2014–2023
ROLE
Creative Director, Team Lead—9 years, Strategic Partner, Account Management for Agency, Oversight of Creative Project Managers, UX + UI Design
AWARDS
Horizons Interactive Awards - Gold, Websites (Corporate & B2B)
Interactive Media Awards - Best in Class, Intranet
Web Awards - Outstanding Website, Portal
CHANNELS
Gamified Employee Portal, Email, Sales Collateral, Direct Mail, Video, Experiential, OOH, Campus Outdoor, Social, CCTV, Intranet, Point-of-Sale Displays
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Inspire and enable ~90,000 Delta employees to willingly promote the Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards—for the benefit of all—while providing great customer service to passengers.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
We reconstructed Delta’s incentive-based sales program, Delta Uplift, for employees to successfully promote the SkyMiles Cards. We built the platform from the tarmac up and instituted a gamified rewards system for every card account referral. In 2019, we added a gamified team dynamic to the ecosystem.
Our personalized 360° campaigns consistently spiked engagement and exceeded yearly corporate goals. Sales collateral, training and videos enabled the conversation. Events throughout the nation drove sign-ups. We constantly looked for new ways to inspire and inform Delta’s employees as they naturally and willingly enhanced their customer service.
CONTRIBUTIONS
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Built and scaled Delta Air Lines' 'Uplift' sales incentive program bridging strategy with creative execution, growing creative scope and budget +300% over 9-year tenure while navigating a 2018 succession of the client program manager
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Directed comprehensive creative strategy for Delta's gamified employee portal across all touchpoints in 12 channels, evolving the Uplift brand through a delicate balancing act with the main Delta Brand
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Maintained strategic client partnership through frequent cross-country travel to Delta’s Atlanta Headquarters, leading strategy sessions and experiential events that elevated ‘Uplift’ as a top executive priority outside operations
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Trained and mentored multiple creatives via Delta initiatives. Agency creative team ranged from 8–22 creative professionals at any given time.
RESULTS
$100's of millions in revenue generated annually by employee promoting.
Monthly goals for 2023 were exceeded through Q3, shattering records in card acquisition, card spending, and revenue for Delta.
30,000 employees consistently enrolled.
2019 ended with a 6% increase over the annual goal of 1M+ new card members.
TeamUP
As Uplift's goals soared, we recognized an opportunity to harness the expertise of peer leaders as mentors. Success came by turning teamwork into a rewarding game structure—in addition to individual incentives. Early phases started by testing financial models tied to basic game mechanics. Open dialogue between creative, strategic stakeholders, and development led to iterations on game dynamics (UX) and robust explorations in mobile-first UI. After a successful launch, we quickly adopted user feedback and client input to find that sweet spot of sustainable drive and reward.
SkyMiles Gold & Platinum Card Pamphlet
5-6 cycles per year
SkyMiles Reserve Card Pamphlet
Exclusively for Delta Sky Clubs
5-6 cycles per year
Each offer period requires card-specific displays which are versioned for every airport.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card brochure exclusively for Sky Club patrons. Elevated design and messaging for high-frequency premium travelers.
Card Comparison Tool and Personalized Handout for Delta Employees to promote the SkyMiles Cards.
Personalized tools such as the QR badge automatically attribute employees to their card promoting efforts.
SkyMiles Card Portfolio Launch Event
After years of building trust within Delta’s Customer Engagement & Loyalty division, I was asked to envision and deliver an event for their major company milestone. This corporate event celebrated a complete restructuring of the world’s top airline miles program and spread the excitement within their Atlanta headquarters.