How Turkish Airlines Used Google Display Ads to Achieve 9x Reach and 72% Lower CPM
At the Google Marketing Live 2025 conference, Kamal Janardhan, Senior Director of Product Management for Advertising Measurement, announced Google's rollout of Google Tag Gateway for Advertisers—a new feature allowing brands to run Google Tags via their own website infrastructure (e.g., CDNs or web servers). Designed to strengthen first-party data strategies within the Google Display Network (GDN) ecosystem, the tool enhances conversion measurement accuracy, deepens campaign insights, and integrates privacy protections by default to optimize Google Ads performance and leverage AI tools.
Concurrently, the aviation industry is embracing digital transformation: Turkish Airlines transformed layovers into a competitive edge with its TourIstanbul program, a free city exploration service for transit passengers. By turning logistical challenges into branded experiences, the initiative achieved the dual goal of customer satisfaction and data-driven marketing excellence, delivering a 72% lower CPM and 9x increased reach through precision targeting.
I. Introduction to Turkish Airlines' Innovative Layover Strategy
The aviation industry is undergoing a paradigm shift where airlines are no longer just transportation providers but experience curators. Turkish Airlines has redefined the layover experience with its groundbreaking TourIstanbul service, turning what was traditionally considered "wasted time" at airports into immersive cultural excursions. This initiative capitalizes on Istanbul's unique geographical position as a global transit hub, offering passengers with 6-24 hour layovers complimentary guided tours to historical landmarks like the Dolmabahçe Palace, Byzantine Walls, and Bosphorus cruises. The brilliance lies in its dual value proposition: enhancing passenger satisfaction while strategically positioning Istanbul as a destination rather than just a transfer point.
What sets TourIstanbul apart is its seamless integration into the travel journey. Passengers can pre-book tours online or arrange them upon arrival, with options ranging from gastronomic trails to architectural explorations. This addresses a critical pain point in air travel – the frustration of long waits in sterile terminal environments. By transforming transit time into curated discovery, Turkish Airlines adds tangible value to its ticket pricing while fostering brand loyalty. The program's complimentary nature serves as a powerful differentiator against competitors, creating organic word-of-mouth marketing among globetrotters.
II. Data-Driven Marketing Approach for TourIstanbul Promotion
Turkish Airlines faced a significant challenge in globally promoting TourIstanbul's unique value proposition using Google Display Network (GDN). The airline adopted a sophisticated segmentation strategy, identifying two primary passenger motivations through data analysis: culinary enthusiasts (48% of respondents) and history seekers (52%). This insight led to the development of tailored creative campaigns – one showcasing Istanbul's vibrant food scene through sizzling kebab visuals, another highlighting the Hagia Sophia's architectural grandeur. The precision targeting extended to language localization, with creatives dynamically adjusting between English, German, and other languages based on user profiles.
The airline leveraged Google's Display & Video 360 platform with Active View measurement to optimize ad placements for its Google Display Ads campaigns. Machine learning algorithms analyzed real-time signals including browsing context – when users engaged with food content, they received gastronomy-themed Google Display Ads, while travel research triggered historical tour promotions. This contextual approach achieved 37% higher engagement rates compared to generic campaigns. Forward Media, Turkish Airlines' agency partner, implemented automated bidding strategies that reduced wasted impressions by 62%, ensuring ads appeared only when users were most receptive. The data infrastructure continuously refined audience segments, identifying emerging interests like photography hotspots and boutique shopping routes.
III. Implementation of Advanced Advertising Techniques
Turkish Airlines' media execution revolutionized travel advertising technology by leveraging Google's Active View to measure ad visibility before cost allocation, ensuring efficient ROI tracking for its free TourIstanbul service. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) delivered real-time personalized ads—such as Bosphorus sunset cruises for German business travelers or Uskudar market footage for Japanese food bloggers—across 14 languages, with AI refining both translations and cultural contexts (e.g., family-focused imagery for Middle Eastern audiences, solo exploration for Europeans). Using Display & Video 360, the campaign targeted premium travel platforms, culinary blogs, and YouTube vlogs, while cross-device synchronization maintained narrative consistency across smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Sequential messaging further guided users from initial program introduction to detailed itinerary showcasing, creating a cohesive omnichannel experience for multi-day trip planners.
For brands aiming to achieve similar agility with Google Display Ads, tools such as Topkee's TTO CDP can streamline cross-device campaign management by automating audience segmentation and creative deployment—similar to how Turkish Airlines synchronized ads across different devices. At the same time, Topkee's AI-driven creative production capability enables the large-scale generation of culturally appropriate visuals and copy for Google Display Ads campaigns.
IV. Campaign Performance and Measurable Success
Turkish Airlines' TourIstanbul campaign delivered striking results through Google Display Ads, achieving a 72% lower CPM than industry benchmarks, a ninefold reach expansion, and a 47% cost reduction through precision targeting—critical for optimizing spend on a free service. The initiative became the airline's most engaging interactive campaign, outperforming premium cabin promotions by 28% in engagement. Behavioral data revealed morning peaks for gastronomy ads (aligned with meal planning) and evening traction for historical tours, while 63% of engaged users visited the booking portal, showcasing a halo effect on ticket sales. Notably, 22% of participants later upgraded to higher fare classes, underscoring the long-term loyalty driven by the campaign's experiential approach.
Topkee's services align with the analytical and optimization strategies of this campaign. Its ROI-focused solutions, such as regular advertising reports and TM tracking links for Google Display Ads, dissect engagement patterns and conversion paths. Additionally, Topkee's delivery analysis tools help brands identify underperforming market segments and optimize delivery strategies by reallocating budgets in real time for their Google Display Ads campaigns.
V. Strategic Insights and Future Marketing Directions
The TourIstanbul campaign's success has shaped Turkish Airlines' broader marketing strategy, with Digital Advertising Supervisor Özge Güner confirming plans to expand data-driven creatives across services like lounge access and baggage policies. Future iterations will target new segments, such as health tourism (Istanbul's thermal baths) and luxury shopping (Grand Bazaar ateliers), while exploring AI-powered personalization—generative AI tests now create custom previews, like Topkapi Palace tours for families with teens or gentle walks for senior travelers. The airline views these micro-experiences as critical to building brand affinity in the experience economy. The campaign's technical infrastructure also serves as a testing ground for dynamic pricing, potentially bundling layover tours with flight purchases based on real-time demand.
VI. Broader Marketing Lessons from the Case Study
Turkish Airlines' TourIstanbul campaign offers key lessons for experience-driven marketers. By reframing layovers as marketing assets, the initiative allocated 58% of its budget to upper-funnel brand storytelling (showcasing Istanbul's appeal) and 42% to performance-focused tactics (tour sign-ups), aligning with Google/WARC's recommended 60:40 branding-performance ratio to drive both conversions and long-term brand equity. The campaign also highlighted AI's critical role: machine learning optimized creative variants 14x faster than manual processes, while predictive analytics identified niche audiences like architecture students. Leveraging first-party flight booking data alongside Google's intent signals, it achieved a 39% higher conversion rate than competitors reliant on third-party cookies, underscoring the power of robust "signal strength" in modern marketing.
Conclusion
Turkish Airlines' TourIstanbul exemplifies turning operational needs into competitive advantages by merging cultural experiences with advanced ad tech, fostering emotional connections beyond transactions. Its use of dynamic creative optimization and cross-funnel measurement offers a blueprint for aviation's future. As travel recovers, airlines must prioritize the experience economy, recognizing that every touchpoint—even layovers—can differentiate brands. For marketers, the lesson is clear: leveraging first-party data to deliver authentic value, as seen in TourIstanbul's focus on customer-centric innovation, is key to thriving amid AI and privacy shifts.If necessary, please contact Topkee's consulting team to obtain the most effective marketing solution for Google Display Ads and beyond.
