In the second year of its five-year partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB), Booking.com, taps into historic baseball rivalries to prove that through its choice of hotels, travellers can become a fan of any US city – even their baseball rivals. Booking.com launched the partnership last year with MLB as its official accommodation partner, with an integrated creative campaign that proved wherever there is baseball, there’s a place you can book your accommodation on Booking.com.
And as the 94th MLB All-Star Game kicks off on July 16th, Booking.com – in partnership with its creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo NY, and agency partners Wasserman, Vayner and Mindshare – will launch a new integrated campaign that will run throughout the rest of the 2024 baseball season.
With its mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, Booking.com is entering into the second year of its partnership with MLB with the goal to simplify the way Americans plan their unique baseball-inspired travels across the US.
The new campaign is built on the insight that friendly baseball rivalry lets fans bond over regional pride, fuelling travellers’ curiosity in places that are different from them. It aims to encourage both casual and avid baseball fans alike to become a fan of anywhere in the US with the choice of places to stay available on Booking.com – even their rival baseball cities.
Aptly titled as Friendly Rivalries, the creative catches unaware baseball fans in the act of falling in love with accommodations in their home teams’ rival cities – in a targeted media campaign that aims to run wherever fans are watching. Think New York vs. Boston, San Francisco vs. LA., and St. Louis vs. Chicago. And it’s all thanks to the millions of choices on Booking.com.
At launch, fans watching MLB games will see a mix of :30 and :15 humorous spots: catching Yankees fans enjoying the perks of a waterfront hotel in Boston, Cardinals fans getting cosy in a bed & breakfast in Chicago, and Giants fans relaxing in a stylish hotel in LA. The campaign expands beyond TVC, with engaging paid social and influencer assets, as well as a brand engagement platform that will run all season long on MLB channels.
The films were directed by David Shafei at WW7, and are voiced by iconic American Sportscaster, Joe Buck. The strategy and creative was developed by Zulu Alpha Kilo NY, with Mindshare managing the media strategy and planning; Wasserman managing the partnership directly with MLB; and Vayner delivering a targeted social campaign. The IAT collaboration is all part of a multi-pronged 360 campaign with a full broadcast, social, in-stadium, OOH, Brand Engagement Platform and digital content play that launches today and will continue running through the season, touting friendly rivalries, and culminating at the Division Series in October.