Reaching new heights in 1:1 creative

Honeywell: Departing Soon—Turning Urgency Into Opportunity

Overview

Honeywell International Inc. is a global leader transforming how the world works. From aerospace and building technologies to performance materials and safety solutions, Honeywell’s innovations solve complex challenges across industries.

When U.S. airports were hit hard by COVID-19, Honeywell saw a chance to help rebuild. Through a highly targeted, hyper-personalized campaign, Honeywell empowered airport leaders to access critical funding for health and safety upgrades, and in doing so, drove measurable business growth.

The Challenge: Making Airports Safe in a Post-COVID World

The pandemic devastated the aviation industry. With air travel plummeting, U.S. airports lost over $32 billion in revenue.

To aid recovery, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released $8 billion in Airport Rescue Grants. These grants could be used for vital infrastructure improvements, including ventilation and air purification systems, where Honeywell leads the market.

But there was a catch:

• The application process was complex
• Confusion persisted around how funds could be used
• There was an imminent deadline to apply

The government was, in essence, giving away “free money.” Yet many airport administrators didn’t act, and Honeywell needed to change that, fast.

The Marketing Challenge: Convincing Airports Before Time Ran Out

Honeywell faced a perfect storm of urgency and complexity. The goal wasn’t just awareness, it was action.

With only weeks left before the deadline, BOL partnered with Honeywell to:

• Reach and educate a niche audience of 60 U.S. airport administrators
• Clarify how rescue grants could be used
• Drive immediate engagement before the window closed

The opportunity was enormous—but the clock was ticking.

The Big Idea: Departing Soon

Airports live and breathe by the concept of timing. Flights depart, gates close, and every second counts.

So we built a campaign that spoke their language.

“Departing Soon” became both the message and the metaphor. It was a creative concept that mirrored the urgency of catching a departing flight.

The campaign reminded administrators that billions in funding were ready for takeoff, and Honeywell was their trusted co-pilot to navigate the process.

Bringing the Campaign to Life

Hyper-Personalized 1:1 Targeting

BOL’s media team analyzed intent and grant data to identify exactly which airports had yet to apply. That left a precise target account list of just 60 airports.

Each was treated as a 1:1 campaign:

• Custom LinkedIn Sponsored Content and InMail ads addressed airports individually by their three-letter codes (e.g., “Attention JFK”).
• Each message drove to a dedicated Honeywell Airport Rescue Grant landing page with tailored resources and next steps.

The result: personalized outreach that felt urgent, relevant, and impossible to ignore.

Flight Map Infographic

To simplify the grant process, BOL created a flight map–themed infographic decision tree showing how airports could qualify for funding and where the money could be used.

The concept of “navigation and guidance” reinforced Honeywell’s role as a trusted partner helping airports chart their path to safer travel.

Relatable Explainer Video

To make the message memorable, BOL produced an explainer video that mimicked a familiar airport experience.

The voiceover echoed a gate agent’s announcement, but instead of boarding flights, it announced departing grant opportunities:

“Attention airport directors. Attention airport managers. The Airport Rescue Grants are departing soon. Please check your surroundings to see what safety and security upgrades you need ... The gates are closing soon. Please contact Honeywell today.”

This creative twist made the complex topic of funding both relatable and actionable, driving urgency with a touch of humanity.

The Results: A Campaign That Took Off

The “Departing Soon” campaign didn’t just capture attention, it delivered measurable impact for Honeywell.

By the Numbers

• +6% increase in Honeywell shares following campaign launch
• Beat analyst expectations by $1.86 per share
• Significant surge in demand for Honeywell aviation parts, software, and aftermarket services

In short, Honeywell turned a regulatory deadline into a revenue opportunity and a moment of crisis into a catalyst for growth.

The Takeaway: When Time Is the Challenge, Precision Is the Advantage

By combining data-driven targeting, empathetic storytelling, and creative execution, BOL helped Honeywell move fast and act smarter, proving that even in highly regulated industries, timing and precision can drive powerful results.

The “Departing Soon” campaign didn’t just help airports secure critical funding, it helped Honeywell soar higher in a post-pandemic world.

Ready to make your next campaign take off? Let's talk.