For the record, we’re big fans of Prettybird.
Kersten Emhoff, Paul Hunter, Juliette Larthe, et. al., have created a nifty crew that consistently produces fantastic work. Whether it’s branded or music content, film or TV, their talent puts out beautiful, endearing and effective eye candy.
In keeping with the fun vibe, Prettybird just launched an ad for Vrbo (it is pronounced VER-boh, by the way), the vacation rental portal, that is a Broadway lovers dream. Set to the classic “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof, three groups of families and friends try to find their perfect vacation home match on the Expedia-owned property.
There are bright colors, clever lyrics and, dammit, some of the more enjoyable music and cavorting we’ve seen since … well, some Target ads.
We’re not saying that this is a complete homage to the massive retailer, but it shares a few cues, especially stylistically.
You might be thinking we don’t like the ad. Actually, we really do enjoy this work from director Todd Strauss-Schulson. In fact, it’s in the same vein as an ad we wrote about earlier this week for MOO.
If you can put together something that’s fun and memorable, that’s part of the trick of breaking through in a land of advertising sameness. Vrbo’s new identity may also help cut into the cult of Airbnb.
And who cares if it shares some of the same creative DNA as another brand? Good ads like this one are a treat to watch.