Priceline's Getting Travelers off the Sidelines and to their Dream Destinations with Newest Campaign
Rhea-AI Summary
Priceline launches a new integrated marketing campaign targeting 'dreamscrolling' travelers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, who browse travel content without booking. The campaign features actress Kaley Cuoco and introduces 'Buzzer Beater' deals offering up to 50% off game-day travel during March college basketball season.
The campaign includes special hotel discounts in tournament host cities from March 25 to April 6, with savings ranging from 10% to $250. Additionally, Priceline partners with DraftKings for a 'Dream It, Book It Bracket' challenge offering a $50,000 cash prize. The company will also upgrade customers with .edu email addresses to VIP Gold status for the remainder of 2025.
The multi-faceted campaign will be distributed across broadcast, digital, and social media platforms, including Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Peacock, featuring comprehensive city guides for sports fans.
Positive
- Partnership with DraftKings creates new revenue stream and customer engagement opportunity
- Strategic targeting of younger demographics (Millennials/Gen Z) through multi-channel marketing
- Expansion of loyalty program with educational institution focus
- Implementation of dynamic pricing strategy during high-demand sports events
Negative
- Heavy investment in marketing campaign and celebrity endorsement may impact operational costs
- -time promotional discounts up to 50% could pressure profit margins
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, BKNG declined 4.76%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
This March college basketball fans can save as much as
In a 2024 survey commissioned by Priceline, over half of Millennial and Gen Z consumers said they dream about vacation plans every week, yet barriers like price and complexity hold them back. With Priceline's millions of deals, travelers can make that dream trip happen – whether it's catching a buzzer-beater shot live or finally booking that bucket list vacation.
Stop Scrolling and Book It with Priceline: New Ad Campaign Featuring Kaley Cuoco
To help combat the dreamscrolling phenomena, the campaign, starring Kaley Cuoco, is all about waking travelers from their daydreams to show them that their bucket-list trips are within reach. Each ad features a person who is lost in a pink-cloud world fantasizing about their perfect getaway. Suddenly, a whimsical travel guru, played by Cuoco, disrupts their dream and encourages them to stop dreaming about a trip and start booking with Priceline.
"I love being part of Priceline's mission to help turn their dream trips into a reality," said Kaley Cuoco. "This campaign is all about reminding travelers that their 'happy place' is closer than they think -- it's just a flight, a hotel, a deal away. I hope it inspires everyone to finally take the trip they've always wanted."
The campaign tips off with a basketball-themed spot premiering this week. In the ad, a passionate fan dreams of himself in a stadium watching his favorite team compete to win it all, only to be jolted awake when Cuoco – floating inside a spinning basketball – reminds him that with Priceline's unbeatable deals, he can finally experience the excitement in real life.
"Travel has the power to turn dreams into reality, and with Priceline, that reality is more accessible than ever," said Lesley Klein, SVP, Strategy and Brand Marketing at Priceline. "This campaign is all about breaking down the barriers that keep people on the sidelines – whether that's cost, hesitation, or just the feeling that travel is out of reach. By delivering unbeatable deals and exciting partnerships, we're making it easier than ever for travelers to stop dreaming and start going."
'Buzzer Beater' Deals: Limited-Time Offers for Basketball Fans1
Just in time for the height of the college basketball season, the integrated campaign continues with 'Buzzer Beater' deals, offering big savings for the biggest tournament of the season. These first-of-their-kind offers provide 'buzzer-beater' discounts for fans looking to catch the action live as their favorite teams advance to the final brackets. Fans can score deals on hotels in the Men's and Women's tournament host cities for a limited time before each round, from March 25 to April 6, including:
- Top 16: save
10% on select hotels in:- Men's Tournament:
Newark, NJ &San Francisco, CA - Women's Tournament:
Birmingham, AL &Spokane, WA
- Men's Tournament:
- Quarter-Finals: save
15% on select hotels in:- Men's Tournament:
Atlanta, GA &Indianapolis, IN - Women's Tournament:
Birmingham, AL &Spokane, WA
- Men's Tournament:
- Semi-Finals: save
$125 - Men's Tournament:
San Antonio, TX - Women's Tournament:
Tampa, FL
- Men's Tournament:
- Championships: save
$250 - Men's Tournament:
San Antonio, TX - Women's Tournament:
Tampa, FL
- Men's Tournament:
Unlock Priceline's 'Buzzer Beater' deals here.
To up the ante even more, on March 1st Priceline will upgrade customers with .edu email addresses to VIP Gold status for the remainder of 2025. This upgraded loyalty status will unlock even more exclusive travel discounts so students and educators can hit the road and cheer on their schools this March.
Priceline and DraftKings Team Up for a First-Ever Dynamic Bracket Challenge
The madness continues as Priceline and DraftKings team up to host the "Dream It, Book It Bracket" surrounding the Men's College Basketball Tournament. The challenge will include one free-to-play bracket with a spin: each match-up will feature a first-of-its-kind dynamic custom rollover showcasing real Priceline hotel deals for each host city. Players will score points based on how many correct winning teams they picked through the tournament for a shot at a
In addition to the interactive bracket and Buzzer Beater Deals, traveling basketball fans can make the most of their trips to the tournament cities with Priceline's game-day itineraries. Featured across SB Nation and Thrillist, each itinerary is a curation of unique local recommendations for sports fans wherever the games are happening. These comprehensive city guides will provide everything they need to know to extend their game-day experience into a fan's dream trip.
A Multi-Faceted Campaign to Inspire your Next Bucket-List Vacation
The first ad can be viewed here, with multiple spots rolling out in the coming months.
The campaign will run across broadcast, digital, and social media with extensive takeovers across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, SB Nation, Direct TV, Peacock and more. Additional launch elements include an influencer campaign, and audio and podcast ads. The integrated campaign will continue to build throughout the year with social content designed to entertain, engage and inspire more travel.
For more information and to book your next vacation, visit Priceline or download the Priceline app.
About Priceline
Priceline, part of Booking Holdings Inc. [NASDAQ: BKNG], has been a leader in online travel for twenty-five years. Priceline's proprietary deals technology pairs negotiation with innovation to analyze billions of data points to generate deep discounts for customers they can't find anywhere else. Travelers have access to millions of hotels, flights, alternative accommodations, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages and experiences from trusted brands in over 116 countries around the world, 24/7 customer service and incremental savings when becoming a Priceline VIP. By making affordable travel within reach for all, Priceline helps millions of customers each year be there for the moments that matter to them. Because where your happy place meets your happy price, that place is Priceline.
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1 Priceline and Buzzer Beater Deals are not affiliated with the NCAA
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SOURCE Priceline
FAQ
What are Priceline's Buzzer Beater deals for March 2025 basketball tournaments?
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Which cities are included in Priceline's March basketball tournament deals?
