Airports are packed with bookstores — and yet, somehow, still lacking books. That’s the insight that led to Flying Penguins, a cheeky, travel-ready library from Penguin Books.

We wanted to tap into the most captive audience on the planet: people stuck at the airport with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Enter the Flying Penguins vending machine: stocked with titles hand-picked for in-flight reading and designed to move with the traveler. You grab a book, take it with you on your journey, and return it when you land, either at another vending machine or by mail using the prepaid envelope.

We backed the idea with smart, transport-themed out-of-home placements just outside airports — so even before you hit security, the story starts.

Every part of the campaign leans into simplicity: minimal tech, maximum charm. No apps to download, no accounts to create — just grab a book, board your flight, and return it later. It’s a library made for people in transit, wrapped in Penguin’s iconic branding, with the kind of low-lift system that travelers would actually use.