From the Museum of Badvertising: hotels.com
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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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.
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
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.”
Thanks Steve. Interesting take that they are trying to address social media with traditional advertising.