The brand icons of Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo were transformed into 8-foot-tall lightboxes, encased in brushed metal to blend into the venue’s aesthetic.Photo: Courtesy of Expedia Group
This was the first event from Expedia Group's newly formed in-house brand events team, which includes Ben Hack, the former head of strategy, brand experiences at Apple, and Taylor Kellogg, former head of consumer events at Prime Video.
"The event was intended to tell a clear One Key brand story of the most flexible rewards program across our three flagship brands, Expedia, Vrbo, and Hotels.com, while also feeling genuinely buzzy, cool, and, above all, fun," said Lauri Metrose, SVP of global communications for Expedia Group.
The rooftop venue was chosen for its views across the Manhattan skyline, meant to evoke the feeling of "travel, new horizons, and adventure," Metrose added. Upon entering, guests were greeted by a step-and-repeat outfitted with custom-fabricated suitcases showcasing the icons and colors of the three brands.
The events team wanted decor elements to highlight the excitement of travel while blending in seamlessly with the venue's aesthetic. Highlights included an LED "windows" installation meant to be reminiscent of various modes of travel while "subtly encouraging guests to dream about their next destination," Metrose said. After the sunset, 8-foot-tall lightboxes of the three brand logos glowed in between the windows. Decal quotes were also strategically placed on walls, mirrors, and tables, reminding guests of the potential of the One Key loyalty program (such as “Earn rewards for enjoying the view").
Entertainment during the event included DJ sets by Mei Kwok, Eli Escobar, and headliner DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak), who also sang and drummed onstage. Renowned Polaroid photographer Andrew Tess was on site to take keepsake shots of guests. Expedia Group also collaborated with BÉIS to provide the travel gear company's On the Go Essentials Case filled with custom stickers designed by local artist Noun New York. Along with BÉIS founder Shay Mitchell, other celebs in attendance included Shaun White, Nina Dobrev, Olivia Culpo, Chanel Iman, Antoni Porowski, and Evan Mock.
The final surprise? When guests signed up on One Key's microsite, they were upgraded to the program's highest membership tier (Platinum) and were able to select a full-size BÉIS product to be shipped directly to them.
Uniting three brands, while introducing another, wasn't without its challenges, though, Metrose said. "A primary challenge was balancing the presence of One Key as a ‘brand,’ while also showcasing the three flagship brands (Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo) that make up the One Key program," she explained. "We made sure to have unique touches specific to each brand, in addition to moments that celebrated the full roundup in a clever way, such as the step-and-repeat and the windows installation."
Her advice for other planners: Nurture those relationships with key partners. "Any seasoned planner will know this, but a successful event often comes down to having strong partner relationships, both internally and externally," Metrose said. "We navigated various challenges due to a short planning window, and the internal and external partners that we worked with were crucial to our success. Find those partners, nurture those relationships, and ensure people feel appreciated—it always makes the process and the results better!"
And with the newly created internal events team at Expedia Group, expect more to come. "We have some huge projects coming up in 2024—the One Key launch is just the beginning," Metrose said.
Keep scrolling to see more inside Expedia Group's launch event for One Key...
