The SOlution
To match the joie de vivre of our audience with an over 50s holiday company that’s anything but an ‘over 50s holiday company’. Who ever said your heyday had to be in your twenties?
“As I get older I need different things. I love to approach new horizons, be amazed at new places, wowed by magical moments.”
Being older has never felt younger. Amongst responses, there was an overwhelming positivity in how people felt about their age, and it was a sentiment we looked to emulate. We created Heyday™ to break the ‘old’ taboo, choosing to acknowledge age and celebrate it with a tone and messaging inspired directly by our audience.
“Not everyone wants to be on a package deal… it’s good to be able to tailor make your holidays.”
One size doesn’t fit all. Our consumers were looking for experiences that could flex and be tailored to their needs. So, we chose to create a service that prioritised interests and personality before dates and location – an experience that put people first and felt super personal.
“Just because a person is in later years, doesn’t mean they don’t get a real kick out of new things.”
An accurate representation of our audience was key to the brand. Bigger picture, the over 50s market is incredibly broad and nuanced, with changes in circumstance, relationships and lifestyles to consider. Research told us that time away was seen as more than just a holiday – it was an opportunity to learn, reinvent and meet new people, so we focused on centering experiences around individual interests.
“Older people carry many years of life’s experiences wherever they go… accessing those can be priceless.”
Even the most adventurous explorers were looking for a service they could trust, so striking the right balance between inspirational and reassuring was key. Assuming the role of a travel broker come influencer, the Heyday™ Curators instil confidence in the service as an authoritative point of contact with knowledge and expertise. Who better to curate experiences of a lifetime than those with a bit more life experience?
“I love to look through brochures. I know I can discover all sorts of wonderful holidays via the internet but I love to pick up and look through photos.”
Over 50s are digitally savvy but research showed an appreciation still for real, tangible touchpoints. Heyday’s creative direction took inspiration from the editorial style of high-end publications to bring this tactility, and ‘flick through-ability’ into its digital space.
“Holiday reps shouldn’t be pushy…they should encourage research on all the things that you go past will see once you're there.”
Research showed that great service was a must with our audience. The Heyday app was created as an intuitive organisational tool and reassuring brand presence, present right from the point of booking through to the end of the trip. Through push notifications, experiences goers are prompted with important information like booking reminders, and handy recommendations like restaurants and points of interest nearby.
“I love meeting other travellers and talking about places we’ve been to.”
We wanted to add a social element to the app, allowing travellers to chat pre and post-holiday to get to know each other, recommend and plan their next adventure together.
