Haters gonna … like?
On social media, they certainly do, especially when checking out all-too-perfect travel photos and videos posted by friends, family and social influencers.
You hate these people—the ones basking in the sun, caressed by balmy breezes, soaking up amazing vacation vibes. Oh, you hate them so very much.
YOU should be the one roasting on the sand at Saint-Tropez, shushing down the slopes in Saint Moritz or exploring the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. Those should be YOUR gorgeously posed, poised-to-go-viral holiday pics!
Though green with envy—mirroring the lush tropical climes you'll never visit—and writhing in existential angst, you hold your nose, grit you teeth and hit "like," mentally noting the experience as fodder for Friday's therapy session.
Hotels.com observes this "hate-like" phenomenon in a new comic campaign from CPB themed, "Be there. Do that. Get rewarded." Familiar brand spokesguy Captain Obvious serves as your guide, offering ridiculously obvious insights into hate-like behavior—and touting Hotels.com as a platform for booking bang-awesome trips of your own.
The Cap really gets around. From a sudsy stop in a couple's bathroom…
… to a boring flight to Omaha …
… the dude's got all the answers. And yes, that was Lil' Jon ziplining in a rainforest. (Unlike you, he has a life, obviously.) The campaign also includes partnerships with Comedy Central and Bravo's Real Housewives.
"Travel today happens on social media," says Hotels.com's senior director of global creative, Mike Wolfe. "From inspiration and research to #vacay posts, we get it—everyone is doing it for the 'gram. Rather than letting the hate-likes get you down, with Hotels.com you can be there and do that yourself, and perhaps create a little travel envy of your own."
The ubiquitous (read: obnoxious) #vacay, and far-flung foodie trips, find their way into the 15-second ads below:
Finally, the Captain also takes the wheel in a series of 6-second shorts:
"It's easy to sell people on the idea of a vacation, but harder to tap into the truth that's keeping them from vacationing," notes CPB creative director Quinn Katherman. "We didn't want to go the traditional route of vacation eye-candy montages. So we tapped into something emotionally true, like how miserable it is to not be on vacation, especially when it feels like everyone in your social feed is on some amazing trip."
Related Stories
Editor's Picks
Advertise With Us
