Ad of the Month - June 2013

Expedia “"Travel yourself interesting"“ Ogilvy & Mather
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Advertising to own the category benefit

Expedia are highlighting the “"end benefit"” of travel in their latest “"Travel yourself interesting"” TV campaign. Rather than talk about a specific product benefit of their travel website, or even the direct benefit of holiday itself, the ads feature the social benefit of having something interesting to talk about when you get back - in an age dominated by social media, an important consideration!

This identification with what can be seen as a generic benefit of travel is something that could be seen to benefit all travel websites. However, the way this approach is used does present clear opportunities for the Expedia brand:

• As the largest travel company with more customers, even if the ad spurs consumers to use all travel websites, Expedia will benefit the most
• The travellers'’ tales are interesting observations about the people in the country visited - this implies that Expedia specialises in more interesting holidays and will help you discover the more fascinating aspects of your destination
• A benefit with a social angle is usually more powerful - it’s not just what the brand does for you personally, but also how it affects your social standing
• Identification with the category “"end benefit"” can position the brand using this comms approach as a sector leader, understanding fundamental consumer needs