180LA recently launched a pair of spots shots in and around Tokyo for Expedia entitled “No Excuses” and “Someplace New.”
In the 30-second “No Excuses” a young woman rattles off a list of excuse for not using her vacation days to travel (“I just don’t have the money to travel right now,” “If I had friends to go with I’d go, but I don’t want to travel by myself,” etc.) while she is shown taking a trip to Tokyo and having a blast. “There are no more excuses: find the hotel you want and the flight you want, and we’ll find the savings to get you there,” concludes the voiceover. The spot is well put together, with the fun Tokyo locations timed to break down the woman’s arguments.
Tokyo also functions into “Someplace New” which laments that 85 percent of people who travel go someplace they’ve already been before asking, “Where’s the fun in that?” Again, the city’s distinct personality — and specifically the iconic Robot Restaurant — helps give weight to the persuasion.
“I wanted our hero’s journey to be seen as an enlightening experience: She found the courage to do this trip, and was rewarded,” said Cap Gun Collective director Tom Haines. “Expedia wanted to show a different way of thinking about travel, and I was really attracted to that message. It really gave us the opportunity to tell an interesting, more emotional story.”
Credits:
Client: Expedia
Senior Director, Brand Marketing: Vic Walia
Brand Marketing Manager: Jessica Eichner
Media Director: Elizabeth Dorrance
Agency: 180LA
Chief Creative Officer: William Gelner
Creative Directors: Dave Horton, Matthew Woodhams-Roberts
Copywriter: Ben Bliss
Art Director: Marcus Brown
Head of Production: Natasha Wellesley
Senior Producer: Erin Goodsell
Head of Account Management: Chad Bettor
Associate Account Director: Brooke Stites
Account Manager: Mackenzie Walen
Production Company: Cap Gun Collective
Director: Tom Haines
Executive Producer: Jason Botkin
Producer: Benjamin Mann
Director of Photography: Steven Annis
Editorial Company: Melvin
Editor: Dave Groseclose
Producer: Brian Scharwath
Music Track: “Genesis” by Grimes
VFX and Finishing: The Mill
Colorist: Adam Scott