Out of this world: KLM launches space contest

Netherlands – Dutch airline KLM is inviting consumers to participate in its interactive KLM Space competition to win a trip into space.

Consumers are increasingly interested in space and brands are responding in their products and advertising campaigns, as we reported in our Space-vertising microtrend.

As part of the Facebook-based competition, KLM will launch a high-altitude driverless balloon that will explode as it reaches Earth’s outer atmosphere. Contestants must guess the height at which they think the balloon will explode, between 16km and 41km. The person with the closest guess will win a ticket into space worth $95,000 (€72,560, £61,845).

The balloon will include camera, GPS-tracker and streaming data to the KLM website to ensure that users can track the balloon on its journey. The balloon will be released on 22 April 2013 from Nevada.