Best Travel Integrated Ad Campaign

In 2018, Expedia Group Media Solutions and Brand USA launched, “Sound Travels,” an innovative digital marketing campaign designed to drive international bookings, engage with travelers and showcase destinations across the U.S. in a new and inspiring way.

The pilot campaign launched in March 2018 with an interactive content hub, which leveraged 3D audio content to immerse users in the sounds and various activities waiting to be experienced in the U.S. Upon entering the microsite, users were prompted to connect their headphones to fully engage with the 3D audio experience and select different sounds based on their preferred travel experiences. After selecting their preferred sound, a 3D audio clip played while a sound wave animation appeared on screen, eventually dissolving into a photo of the experience, allowing users to visualize what they were hearing. After engaging with the content, users were presented with a list of targeted destinations based on their audio clip selections and could also explore additional destination content and special deals and promotions.

The pilot campaign ended in June 2018 and was a great success, resulting in over 700 million digital impressions and over 500,000 user engagements, with users spending an average of more than two minutes on the microsite. Overall, the campaign produced a 160:1 return on ad spend, further proving the campaign’s success in inspiring and transporting listeners to the U.S. through the transformative power of sound.

Contributors:

EXPEDIA GROUP MEDIA SOLUTIONS

Location: United States

About the Agency:

Expedia Media Solutions, the advertising arm of Expedia, Inc., offers industry expertise and digital marketing solutions that allow brands to reach, engage and influence its qualified audience of travelers around the world. Through its vast network of leading travel brands and global points of sale, Expedia Media Solutions provides partners with proprietary data-driven insights about traveler behaviors during every stage of the purchase journey, along with dynamic advertising solutions, to deliver strategic campaigns and measurable results.