booking.com - jongehonden gold winner
BECAUSE you CAN (jongehonden gold winner)
THE BRIEF
Life under lockdown was full of restrictions. Rules to follows, reasons to find for everything you do and countless “sorry, no I can’ts” to give out.
But even when it looked like the world was opening up, people were too nervous to visit. Fear had taken over. Fear of COVID. Fear of judgement. Fear of the unknown. It was stopping them going out there and enjoying the world!
Booking.com wanted us to put an end to that fear. To come up with an idea that got people feeling ready to explore. Something that tied neatly into their existing stance that there’s ‘a booking for everyone’.
THE ANSWER
We decided that the post-COVID world should be one where people can do what they want when they want, without ever having to give a reason. So, we encouraged them to unapologetically, unashamedly make the most of their freedom. There’s a booking for everyone. So holiday however, whenever and wherever you want!
Book a holiday, BECAUSE YOU CAN.
The clients loved the idea so much that we won GOLD (gold, always believe in your sooo-oul) and bagged a grand’s worth of holiday vouchers. They even asked us to help make the campaign a reality. Nice one!
Executions that could work as social, digital or OOH.
TV
We open on a customer having their haircut.
Hairdresser: So, what’s the new do for love? You going on holiday?
Customer: Well, yes actually.
Hairdresser (judgmental): Ooooo, why’s that? Need some time off after the rona?
Customer: Because I can.
Hairdresser (patronising): Celebrating something special?
Customer: Mehh. Just because I can.
Hairdresser: Oop. I know. It’s your anniversary!
Customer: Nope. Because... I. CAN.
The customer stands up triumphantly with their hair half cut and marches out of the hairdressers. 'Because We Can' by Fatboy Slim crescendos in as they turn back to their hairdresser and whip off their gown to reveal an inflatable around their stomach. Cut to a montage of them unashamedly holidaying their way (with a few subtle references to the lockdown life):
They add another scoop to a mountain of ice cream, squish tomatoes in a bunch of strangers hair at a tomato fight, laze in bed for a few days (we cut through various shots of them snoozing in comical positions), bomb into a pool splashing some kids who start to cry, and wiggle strut their way down a beach in the nude.
We hear a gasp. The music cuts. We see them sneaking back into their room at dawn, breaking their curfew.
Customer (to camera): Shh!
The music relaunches as they tip toe in and we cut to our end frame.
VO (breezy): Holiday whenever, wherever and however you want. Because you can.
OFFERING-SPECIFIC ADS
We also use the ‘BECAUSE YOU CAN’ format to showcase specific parts of the booking.com offering, like hostel dorms, luxurious hotels or off the beaten path bungalows.
Creatives: Me / Isabel Snellen
SOCIAL/PR - BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T
Booking.com will set people an example, and get the press talking, by turning three COVID CAN’Ts, into CANs, just because they can! Bringing together friends, lovers and families kept apart by COVID as part of a mini-reality series on social.
People like Jeremy Cohen, who spotted a cutie dancing on top of a rooftop across the street and decided to send his phone number to her via drone. They’ve since started dating with the whole world watching intently. Ah, modern romance…