Travel Search Engine Kayak Encourages People to Go See for Themselves

The world’s leading travel search engine KAYAK, has launched a new campaign this week, in its first major UK marketing push since the pandemic.

'Seize the holiday' features KAYAK's new tagline 'Go see for yourself'. The work was created for the UK in partnership with McCann Manchester.

KAYAK’s new brand platform is rooted in the idea of carpe diem. Encouraging people to embrace the notion of stopping the inner debate and just going for it. Stop looking, stop scrolling, stop planning and go! Go see for themselves.

The campaign is based on that 'should I, shouldn’t I' moment we’ve all had when our finger is poised temptingly over the book button, with literal millimetres between you and that much-needed – and well-deserved – holiday.  And then ……. you stop!

With KAYAK searching hundreds of travel sites to find the best deals on flights, car hire and hotels, the campaign plays to the brand’s trusted value credentials.

The 30 second spot shows Sandra (30 something, medium height, female with dark shoulder length hair), debating whether she should or shouldn’t. Her inner struggle is brought to life through Booksy, KAYAK’S persuasive, anthropomorphic book button, whose aim it is to convince her to seize the holiday and press the button on the KAYAK app.

Fifteen and 30 second films launched recently kicking off across Meta and YouTube. The campaign will run until the end of year and will be upweighted during key holiday periods.

Per Christiansen, senior vice president of marketing at KAYAK said; “The desire to travel is well and truly in full swing, and at KAYAK, we want to ensure nothing and no-one stops holiday deprived British travellers from seeing the world themselves. The team at McCann Manchester perfectly translated our expertise and vision into a story and we are look forward to seeing the response.”

Commenting on the campaign, executive creative director at McCann Manchester, Dan Noller said, “There is a genuine truth behind this campaign, it’s what led us to creating our new, loose-lipped book button, Booksy. His job it is to help Sandra say YES, she should, in fact, book that trip to Barcelona.”

KAYAK appointed McCann Manchester as its lead creative agency for the UK in February 2023.