Sunwing has announced a partnership with Wattpad, the global multi-platform entertainment company for original stories and leading social storytelling platform, to host a Canadian writing contest. The #MissedMilestones Writing Contest is on from now through August 24, 2021, with the goal to curate a collection of firsthand stories from customers featuring travel moments and milestones that they missed out on during the pandemic, including how they would celebrate those moments in the tropics. The winner will receive an all inclusive vacation for two to Royalton Punta Cana Resort & Casino and will be featured on the @Travel profile on Wattpad.

“Our partnership with Wattpad is the latest step in our marketing transformation at Sunwing,” commented Samantha Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer at Sunwing. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have focused our efforts on refining and elevating the customer experience, and tapping into user-generated content is a key pillar of our marketing strategy. By partnering with Wattpad on this writing contest, we’ll be able to leverage the power of storytelling to engage with customers in a more authentic, relevant way, offering them an even more seamless customer journey under our wing.”

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The brand synergy is Sunwing’s latest endeavour into creating relevant and inspirational content. With a global community of more than 90 million people, including 1.6 million Canadians, Wattpad is home to some of the most diverse and creative writers worldwide. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have turned to reading and writing online as a form of escapism and self-expression. At the same time, more Canadians are dreaming about their future vacation after being stuck at home for over a year, which has been reflected in the growing demand that Sunwing has seen over recent months.

Sunwing will work with Wattpad Brand Partnerships to adapt the winning story into a short film or video. The inspirational content will then be distributed across both brands’ channels including YouTube and their respective social media platforms.

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“Creativity, connection and expression are core features of Generation Z,” said Chris Stefanyk, Head of Brand Partnerships at Wattpad. “After more than a year of lockdowns around the world, Gen Zers have turned to creative platforms like Wattpad to share their experiences like never before. We’re thrilled to partner with Sunwing to engage our massive Gen Z community, turning missed milestones into inspired narratives.”

Eligible participants are invited to submit a short story in 500 words or less about their #MissedMilestones from the past year and the role that travelling to the tropics would play in making them epic. From beach getaways with friends to family celebrations in the tropics and destination weddings, writers are invited to get creative with their entries and post them to their Wattpad profile using the #MissedMilestones hashtag. The official contest rules can be found on Wattpad’s website.