Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam
‘We need to improve the branding’. ‘Since we are launching a new brand, we need to make the brand name familiar to the consumers’. These are some of the valid concerns clients have when either briefing or evaluating a TV spot. Most often the solution (preconceived, perhaps) is seen in the number of times the brand name is mentioned, how ‘soon’ the brand name is introduced in the ad or simply placing a twirling brand logo on a corner of the TV screen.
Booking.com, a leading brand in Europe has similar objectives. While they are well-known in Europe, they were relatively lesser known in the crowded US market. Their launch ad, is doing the rounds of ad blogs and is pretty insightful, clever and funny.
Insightful because the consumer behaviour during a planned vacation is captured beautifully. We all have our moments of anticipation when reaching our hotel destination, wondering how it will all turn out. The two ‘moments of truth’ are clear when we take a first look at the hotel lobby and then our room – the expectation is palpable in the TVC. It’s clever in twisting the brand name as an adjective cuss word, especially as an exclamation of joy. And the situations and over-the-top acting made it extra fun to watch. B$#@^#ng awesome work from W+K, again.
