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From the Museum of Badvertising: hotels.com

Written on September 30, 2008 – 10:47 pm | by Steve Yastrow |

Can anyone explain this ad to me?

What in the world are they trying to say?

What in the world were they thinking?

(What’s funny about the premise that a hotel will bend over backwards for a guest who comes through a “low-priced” Internet channel is that the opposite is often true. Check out this post I on wrote tompeters.com.)

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4 Comments - Add yours! »

Comment by Todd Reed
2008-10-01 14:18:36

From first viewing – save 30% on labor day hotel stay and you can write reviews. Upon further reflection: Even saving 30% this guy wasn’t able to afford a nicer hotel with a real hot tub? Oh yeah, and the message to hotels: no matter how much you bend backwards to satisfy me, I may still slam you on this large, well-used website.

Definitely not a “WE” statement in this commercial.

What a shame they couldn’t have spent that money on a highly targeted campaign focused on their power users and their networks.

 
Comment by Steve Yastrow
2008-10-01 23:02:05

Thanks Todd. Your comment reminded me of a post I wrote on tompeters.com last year, a link for which I added to this post. Or, just go here: http://www.tompeters.com/entries.php?note=010130.php

 
Comment by Steven Herron
2008-10-16 21:30:16

I work for a digital communications firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. I often rant about what “traditional” advertising agencies produce for their clients. This spot is a perfect example of their thought processes. The advent of Social Media (re: trip reviews) has the hotel world grasping for a method of utilizing this channel to increase visibility and counter negative reviews (deserved or not).

You are correct to term it “Badvertising.”

Comment by Steve Yastrow
2008-10-16 22:37:31

Thanks Steve. Interesting take that they are trying to address social media with traditional advertising.

 
 
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