In the business of travel, it's tough to be an online travel company. This is how HomeAway Inc. has felt for the past five years. While they definitely have some business to show from their online sales, they are still a far field goal away from competing with masters in the industry like Orbitz, Travelocity, or Priceline.
So, to amp up their advertising, they chose to use an advertising slot many would covet, the Super Bowl commercial. Did they decide to make their own version of some cute (slightly creepy) little garden gnome, no. They pulled in the big guns to try to win the hearts of travelers everywhere, Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, Lampoon's vacation style. (Statesman.com)
What are Chevy and D'Angelo going to bring us during the third quarter? Well, that is part of the build-up, we are just going to have to tune in to the Super Bowl to find out. We know this much, we can expect 30 seconds of awesome travel blooper action. And why not? HomeAway invested a cool 2 mil to do so. And don't think you are just expecting a commercial, you can expect to cash in on 40,000 dollars worth of sweet prizes on a special website after the commercial.
What is HomeAway? HomeAway offers those wanting a longer stay better options. The traveler can expect a vacation rental with more amenities, like a kitchen, and things to do. Unlike competitors, HomeAway offers more destinations with a similar "more convenient" theme worldwide. If a traveler wants to feel like less of a cubicle dweller and more like they are vacationing in a home away from home, say in a log cabin, this is the website to use. HomeAway really does offer more complete escapes with less hassle and worry. In fact, you can even rent entire homes for your next vacation if you use HomeAway.
The one drawback of HomeAway is that as of right now, it is not an instant type of booking. You can reserve online, but ultimately you wait to finalize with the owner. The owner may be able to let you know immediately, but then again he or she may not be available immediately. This is definitely a great tool if you are planning far in advance. Customers can also expect to see detailed descriptions and photos of each rental.
So, will this Super Bowl spotlight help HomeAway break through the top travel website barrier? This is yet to be seen. What is for sure is that HomeAway's commercial is sure to please travelers and movie lovers alike.
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