Expedia helps fund bucket list memorial project
By Gemma Storey on Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The best advertising, or PR, is all about storytelling. Anyone can extol the virtues of a product or service, but – at the risk of sounding like a bad actor – what’s my motivation? Why do people want to buy that product? Why should people want to go on holiday?
I recently travelled to Chicago for work. Don’t get me wrong, the giant reflective jelly bean (okay, Cloud Gate) was amazing, but the best experiences on that trip involved people (laughing, playing games, getting frostbite on the architectural boat ride…you get the idea).
Expedia has recognised that travel isn’t just about going to exotic places. It’s about people.
Expedia is helping to fund a project conceived by three stranger’s, whose mutual friend died in a boating accident at just 23 years-old. Their friend, Tyler Lorenzi, had a passion for life. Always challenging himself to have fun and seize the day.
Three of his friends came together and decided to make a documentary about themselves completing Tyler’s list of his favourite things to do in his hometown, San Francisco. To fund this, they created a Kickstarter campaign, and received funding from Expedia.
While the idea wasn’t Expedia’s, it’s helping to fund the project and it’s created a brilliant ad about the project.
People might ask why this is a Kickstarter campaign – I mean, who wants to fund a stranger’s holiday? They may also ask why Expedia didn’t just fund the whole thing – let’s face it, Expedia has the money.
But, the project is about inspiring people. Tyler’s friends want to spread his message to as many people as possible, and Expedia can amplify that message for them. By funding the entire thing, it would risk becoming nothing more than a marketing project.
As for Expedia, it gets to show that it understands that travel, like life, is all about the experience, what you learn, and what you leave behind.
Source: adweek