Expedia travels into amusing territory with three new commercials from Ogilvy & Mather in London. In each spot, achingly average people become intensely interesting to friends and co-workers after taking trips booked through the client's website and mobile app.
In fact, they become so darn fascinating—sharing silly holiday snaps and gushing about their experiences—that a magician who saws himself in half, a stuntman riding fiery explosions and an acrobatic horse whisperer can't compete in the battle for attention.
The ads are the latest from Expedia's pan-European "Travel Yourself Interesting" campaign, which won a Creative Effectiveness Lion last month at Cannes. Gerry Human, chief creative officer at the agency, says the goal is to "steer away from travel marketing clichés."
Indeed, the work achieves that objective in entertaining fashion with its tongue-in-cheek appeal to our ingrained vanity and sloth. Who wouldn't want to earn praise just for taking a vacation? Making talented folks who worked hard to master their craft look like dull dweebs is the cherry on top. (Stupid magician—make yourself disappear!)
CREDITS
Client: Expedia
Senior Marketing Director: Andrew Warner
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather London
Copywriters: Simon Lotze, Jon Morgan
Art Directors: Miguel Nunes, Mike Watson
Executive Creative Director: Gerry Human
Planner: Mattijs Devroedt
Account Leads/Directors: Mark Lainas, Larry Ball-Piatti
Account Managers: Briony Gittins, Joseph Grigg, Anastasia Selezneva
Media Agency: PHD
Production company: TV - Moxie Productions; Online film - Disqo
Music: Track - "Travel Yourself Interesting"; Siren Music - Stuart Hancock
Exposure: TV, online, radio