Harnessing ingenuity, community, and gamification, KLM served up a healthy dose of popup connectivity at the Schiphol Airport two years ago. 

In the spirit of the holiday season, and in an effort to unite travelers, the airline translated its brand values into a literal format at a Bonding Buffet dining table that was lowered from a platform – a few inches at a time – until all twenty seats were filled by strangers. 

The video of people gathering together at the KLM gate reappeared on LinkedIn this past week. It’s refreshing to see an airline go the extra mile with a thoughtful, cohesive, and entertaining concept that demonstrates compassion. 

After this past year’s plethora of multi-sensory popup experiences that have been laden with lines, elevated ticket prices, and Instagramable selfie backdrops– we optimistically expect brands to take control of their narrative, revaluate partnerships, and celebrate meaningful ideas that improve people’s lives.