The objective with RIAT (The Royal International Air Tattoo) is to grow the stature and change the perception of the event, to not only be seen as an air show for aviation enthusiasts, but to appeal to a younger, more diverse audience. To encapsulate the fact that the show itself is more so a ‘festival’ with on-the-ground experiences and activities than just a celebration of what’s in the sky.
While broadening awareness of the show and showcasing the appeal to younger attendees, the objective is also to ultimately sell tickets to the event. So this organic activity was part of a full-funnel marketing campaign. And while targeting a much younger demographic, of people aged 16-35 and a more female audience, there was an important consideration of not neglecting or losing focus on the engaged, enthusiastic ‘plane spotters’ – a loyal RIAT audience.
Together with RIAT’s (Royal International Air Tattoo’s) marketing team, a significant gap in marketing efforts was identified: the content lacked the appeal for younger audiences and didn’t align with how they are now consuming media. To address this, we launched a new TikTok channel for the airshow from scratch, introducing bespoke, authentic and unpolished UGC-style content such as the “This or That” series tailored to this engaging and communicating to the desired demographic. This approach resonated exceptionally well and ultimately drove both a highly engaged and communicative audience as well as increasing organic and performance.
A core part of the strategy was creating content that resonated with a new, younger audience - specifically Gen Z and Gen Alpha - while maintaining the historical appeal that is so crucial to aviation enthusiasts.
For the latter, mixing internal expertise from the RIAT team with industry leading agency innovation via PinPoint Media, we designed an interactive series called “Can You Recognise This Sound?”, using native audio distributed via their social channels, this encouraged enthusiasts to demonstrate their expertise and passion. We also launched a campaign thread termed “Take Off Thursday,” a weekly showcase of new and unique aircraft due to display at the airshow, celebrating the passion and expertise of international pilots, what fans can expect, and showcasing the events itself.
Using a simple UX with swipe-friendly carousels, this series was only possible in an environment where both agency and client act as one, seamless team, with the primary goal of ensuring engaging experiences online and offline for both followers and fans.
Our content also highlighted the ‘on-ground’ festival atmosphere, featuring food, family-friendly experiences, and vox pops from attendees and first time event goers t.
To further broaden RIAT’s appeal, we emphasised STEM innovations, showcasing VR (Virtual Reality), simulators, and expert talks at the ‘Inspire Stage’ where we hosted industry legends such as astronaut Tim Peake and the British Aerobics Team, The Red Arrows. A balanced approach and a visual representation that underpinned the strategy’s ethos that was “In the air, on the ground, and all around” spotlighted the thrill of fast jets, the vibrant on-ground experience, and cutting-edge technology.
The result was a dynamic organic campaign that successfully attracted a younger demographic, re-engaged existing audiences, and redefined RIAT as more than an aviation show—a weekend-long festival for all to enjoy.
This campaign demonstrates PinPoint Media’s ability to work alongside their client in evolving one of the world's greatest legacy events into a modern, inclusive experience while staying true to its roots. It was the culmination of history meeting innovation delivering outstanding, ongoing results.
Age Range between July 2022 - July 2024:
RIAT has achieved sell-out status for three consecutive years including the 2024 campaign which includes both General Admission and Hospitality Packages—a testament to the effectiveness of the marketing strategy. Our always on paid campaigns have demonstrated a direct upticklink into ticket sales, while engagement metrics and brand awareness highlight significant growth.
Year on year, we’ve successfully attracted more people into the TOF, MOF and BOF marketing funnel, converting engaged audiences theminto ticket purchasers and building a much larger, more diverse audience.
One standout achievement has been the growth of RIAT’s TikTok presence since 2022. Since launch, it’s reacheds a completely different demographic tothan the other social channels, creating a more captivatede and engaged audience, something that that previously did not exist. Their channel now boasts with over 30,000 27,559 organic followers.
The content strategy developed has expanded the narrative of the RIAT experience. Historically, the focus was on aircraft and aerial displays, but our campaigns have showcased previously overlooked elements, such as the ‘Techno Zone’, which offers activities for young children (Gen Z and Alpha), the diverse food offerings, and the broader appeal of the three-day festival.
By highlighting these aspects, we’ve painted a more comprehensive picture of the event, attracting new attendees and enhancing the overall perception of the World’s Greatest Airshow RIAT as an inclusive, multi-faceted experience for all ages.
