Expedia: Yes, You Can Get There From Here

Brandweek,  Feb 21, 2000  by Todd Wasserman

Tags: Expedia Inc.

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While government intervention has caused Microsoft to struggle with the question of late, its offshoot, Expedia, is offering real-world answers to the tagline, "Where do you want to go today?"

The online travel service is providing helpful hints for battle-weary travelers in outdoor ads in Chicago, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. More placements may follow. In Chicago, one billboard offers, "The 'El' is quicker to O'Hare," while Los Angeles visitors also get a taste of the local vernacular: "Shortcut to, like, the Valley: Get back to LAX via Imperial Hwy."

The idea, said an Expedia rep, is to provide a genuinely helpful service in the hopes that travelers will ultimately associate Expedia with informed travel decisions. That's an intriguing concept. Perhaps someday Expedia will wire its billboards with interactive software from Microsoft that warns you if a suspicious-looking character is close behind, or you're about to step in some doggie droppings.

Program: Expedia.com outdoor campaign

Marketer: Expedia, Redmond, Wash.

Agency: Deutsch, Los Angeles

Key Players: Expedia: Erik Blachford, up-marketing; Carrie Eiting dir-advertising;

Deutsch: Karin Hall, account director.

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