How Playmobil Activated a Dual-Location Campaign at Zürich Airport
What does it take to turn an airport into a road trip? In August 2026, we worked together with Avolta to find out — launching one of travel retail's most playful brand activations of the summer across two locations at Zürich Airport (ZRH).
Here's how the campaign came together, what made it work, and what travel retail brand managers can learn from it.
The Concept: Take the Playmobil Road Trip to Win! & a Two-sided-location mechanic
The campaign mechanic was built around a single, connecting idea: a road trip between two airport stores. Passengers were invited to travel between Zürich Duty Free (ZDF) on Level 1 and the TOYS store — two distinct touchpoints, two different mechanics, one brand journey.
The visual anchor for the campaign was the Playmobil Volkswagen T1 Camper (ref. 71857), one of the brand's new vehicle licence novelties, paired with a road map motif that reinforced the travel narrative throughout all branded materials. The concept worked across every touchpoint simultaneously — the main promo space, the TOYS store, and Avolta's Club Avolta digital channel — ensuring full creative consistency on-site and online.
Zürich Duty Free: Digital Spin the Wheel
At the main Playmobil activation space in Zürich Duty Free, a Brand Ambassador operated a digital Wheel of Fortune, inviting customers who made a purchase to spin for a chance to win prizes from the Playmobil GWP range — mini figurines, tote bags, colouring books and thermal cups. After spinning, customers received a map pointing them to the TOYS store: the second leg of the road trip.
TOYS Store: The 60-Second Challenge
At the TOYS store on Level 1, the mechanic was entirely different — and deliberately so. Store staff approached customers showing interest in the brand, introduced the Road Trip to Win concept, and challenged them to complete a 60-second Playmobil challenge. Participation was free, with no purchase required.
Customers who completed the challenge won a Playmobil mini figurine and received a map directing them toward the ZDF space. The open-access format was key to driving footfall and brand engagement across both locations, capturing families and younger travellers who may not have been in a purchasing mindset.
Turning the Airport Into the Activation Space
The idea behind the Zürich campaign was something we developed specifically for this project: rather than concentrating the entire brand experience in a single promotional space, we wanted the airport itself to become the field of activation. Two stores, two different mechanics, one connecting narrative — so that every passenger, regardless of where they were in their journey through ZRH, had a reason to engage with the brand.
The result was a more immersive, experiential campaign that drove traffic between locations, created multiple touchpoints with the brand, and turned a standard promotional month into something passengers actually remembered.
The dual-location format delivered strong engagement across both stores throughout August, connecting Playmobil with thousands of travellers — families, collectors and casual shoppers alike — at one of Europe's busiest airports. The combination of a conversion-linked mechanic at ZDF and a free-to-participate experience at the TOYS store allowed the brand to reach different customer profiles simultaneously, driving both sales and brand awareness within the same campaign.
Thank you to the teams at Avolta and Zürich Airport for their collaboration and support throughout the activation. We look forward to the next one.
Are you attending TFWA Cannes? Join us in our Playmobil booth at Green Village, level -1, J40.
Reach us out at [email protected] or contact our team on LinkedIn to book a meeting.
