Destination marketing is oversaturated with idealized, surface-level portrayals of people and places. As an airline with primarily seasonal routes, we asked ourselves: how could we cut through? What would inspire travelers to see familiar destinations in new and unfamiliar ways?
We decided to activate our tagline, Get To Going, as a long form, documentary-style storytelling platform. The idea was to reimagine how an airline could show up in the marketplace: not as a promoter of travel deals, but as a participant - catalyzing real, attainable experiences beyond the average trip.
Our goal was to deepen emotional connection to destinations by highlighting immersive, human moments that make travel feel more personal, authentic, and possible.
Get To Going was co-created by Sun Country Airlines and Minnesota-based production duo Skylab. Through a deeply integrated partnership, the team was strategically positioned to think and operate like a traditional studio developing a television series, rather than producing a series of marketing videos.
One of the biggest upfront challenges was securing the budget for something so ambitious. Thinking like a studio enabled the successful pursuit of additional in-kind and monetary sponsorships from travel partners and destinations, helping offset production costs while expanding reach. Most notably, the series partnered with Avis Budget Group and the Sun Country Visa Signature Card as series-level sponsors.
Another key strategic decision was casting popular content creator @ThatMidwesternMom (Amber Estenson) as the series host. Her voice and audience aligned organically with the travelers we wanted to inspire, adding credibility and amplifying engagement without relying on traditional paid advertising.
Production was intentionally unscripted. Scenes were not staged, interactions were not planned, and the narrative emerged through observation, natural sound, and lived experience rather than overt messaging. This approach required trusting the team and talent to find compelling moments in real time, supported by giving on-location leaders the autonomy to make creative decisions.
A small, consistent six-person core team shepherded every episode from development through post-production, ensuring continuity of tone and point of view across destinations. This lean structure also gave the team flexibility to respond to spontaneous moments as they unfolded. Each location presented a new set of challenges, from unpredictable environments to physically demanding experiences. The crew often had to participate alongside the host, at times requiring helmets, harnesses, and overcoming personal fears to capture the story authentically.
The result is a series that feels cohesive without being formulaic, and human without sacrificing craft, reflecting experiences real travelers can truly see themselves having.
Get To Going successfully established Sun Country Airlines as a thoughtful participant in travel storytelling. Audiences responded positively to the series’ authenticity and tone, with engagement building over time as viewers returned for new episodes.
Viewers also sought out the series beyond social platforms and inflight entertainment, with engagement extending to a dedicated GetToGoing.com site allowing for deeper exploration of the people, places, and experiences featured in each episode.
As the series continues to gain momentum, destinations are approaching the airline about participating in future episodes, reinforcing Get To Going’s role as an ongoing storytelling platform rather than a one-off campaign.
