Find Your Story – Expedia 2013 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Find Your Story Application - Expedia | Clapboard Ad Archive

Expedia’s Find Your Story Application, launched in Year 2013 by 180LA, signaled a strategic leap into digital storytelling within the travel and leisure market category, placing the brand firmly at the intersection of technology, narrative, and community. Designed as a Facebook app and accessible via www.findyours.com, the campaign distilled Expedia’s brand mission down to a singular, participatory user experience: travelers were invited to upload photos from their journeys and craft accompanying personal narratives, seamlessly sharing these experiences within their own digital networks. This campaign, rooted in what Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#1—Demonstration, eschews abstract promises or contrived storytelling, instead providing a direct window into the product’s value and functionality by letting the platform itself act as the creative centerpiece. The communication approach was deliberately clear—showing users, rather than telling them, how to document, shape, and broadcast their travel stories—positioning Expedia as a catalyst for both inspiration and self-expression rather than a simple transactional booking engine. With 180LA steering the creative, the work harnessed both the ubiquity and intimacy of Facebook’s interface to turn individual travel memories into social content, reinforcing the notion that every trip yields unique, shareable moments and, in turn, elevating Expedia’s proposition from service provider to brand companion on life’s journeys. Unlike campaigns built around celebrity endorsements, problem-solution dynamics, or high-gloss narrative arcs, Find Your Story pivots solely on user activation and the authenticity of peer-driven storytelling, reflecting a deeper 2013 industry trend toward social integration and participatory platforms. At its core, the campaign makes a virtue of simplicity: a single click invites users to revisit, curate, and share proof of discovery with their networks, deepening both personal memory and brand loyalty. This strategic alignment with social behaviors exemplifies a sharpened understanding of how consumers in the digital age construct and relay their identities through brand interaction. Clapboard rates this campaign 61/100. Expedia’s Find Your Story application stands as an early indicator of how brands in the travel sector could leverage user-generated content to embed themselves more meaningfully within the fabric of travelers’ lives, even as social sharing became an intrinsic part of the travel experience.

Credits

Client

Expedia

Agency

180LA

Executive Creative Director

William Gelner

Creative Director

Gavin Milner

Copywriter

Ben Bliss

Art Director

Mike Bokman, Richard Harrington

Producer

Peter Cline, Christopher Neff, Daniel Laiblin, Amelia Roberts

Account Management

Chad Bettor, Mike Slatkin, Brooke Stites, Sarah Lynch

Production House

Unit9

Interactive Director

Dawid Marcinkowski

Project Manager

Jenny Lam

Tech Lead

Maciej Zasada

Developers

Renato Formato, Patrick Guido Arminio, Krzysztof Wyrzykowski

Category Mind Map

48%

The Expedia "Find Your Story Application" campaign, launched in 2013, centers on the brand’s proposition that travel is a deeply personal and transformative experience. By emphasizing that every journey is unique, Expedia positions itself not just as a service provider, but as a facilitator of individual stories and meaningful travel moments. The campaign’s value lies in encouraging travelers to actively engage with and share their experiences, thereby reinforcing Expedia’s role in making travel memorable and personalized. Strategically, the campaign leverages social media interactivity through a custom Facebook app designed to help users upload and share photos from their trips. This creative approach taps into the growing trend of social sharing and user-generated content prevalent in 2013, appealing to digitally savvy travelers who seek to document and communicate their journeys with friends and networks. By integrating the social platform, Expedia connects directly with a community of users who value storytelling and personal expression, enhancing emotional engagement with the brand. The narrative genre and digital medium underscore the brand’s insight that travel creates stories worth telling, while the interactive element establishes Expedia as a companion in crafting these stories. Overall, the campaign aligns with the broader travel and leisure market by focusing on the individual’s journey and the enduring value of shared experiences.

FORMAT#1 DEMONSTRATION — Directly shows how a product works and highlights its benefits. This campaign most closely aligns with the Demonstration format. The core message introduces the “Find Your Story” Facebook app and explains its primary function: uploading trip photos to share one’s journey with friends. The narrative is focused on illustrating how the product works—inviting users to engage with the app and showing the ease and appeal of capturing and sharing travel experiences. There is no problem-solution arc, symbolic device, testimonial, ongoing character, parody, or explicit story-driven conflict/resolution. Instead, the communication highlights the product’s functionality and benefit through direct demonstration, aiming to inspire users to participate. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Booking.com – Market Positioning Booking.com positions itself as a user-friendly, comprehensive platform offering a vast inventory of accommodations worldwide, with a focus on best price guarantees and customer reviews. It differentiates through an easy booking experience, extensive hotel options, and a strong global presence that caters to both leisure and business travelers. 2. Airbnb – Market Positioning Airbnb disrupts traditional lodging by emphasizing unique, local, and authentic accommodations, including homes, apartments, and experiences. Its peer-to-peer model appeals to travelers seeking personalized stays and cultural immersion, leveraging community trust and a wide variety of affordable and unique options beyond typical hotels. 3. TripAdvisor – Market Positioning TripAdvisor is primarily positioned as the world’s largest travel review site, enabling users to research and compare hotels, restaurants, and activities based on millions of real traveler reviews. Its strategic angle is empowering customers with user-generated content to make informed travel decisions, combined with booking functionality. 4. Kayak – Market Positioning Kayak operates as a powerful travel search engine that simplifies the booking process by aggregating flight, hotel, and rental car deals from multiple sites. It differentiates through robust technology, price alert features, and a comprehensive comparison experience, targeting savvy travelers who want the best deals quickly. 5. Priceline – Market Positioning Priceline leverages its “Name Your Own Price” bidding system and Express Deals to offer deeply discounted travel bookings. It targets budget-conscious travelers seeking significant savings on flights, hotels, and car rentals, positioning itself as a value-driven platform with flexible booking options and last-minute deals.

Q: What is Find Your Story Application about? A: Find Your Story Application is a 2013 digital campaign created for Expedia by the agency 180LA and launched in the United States. The central creative idea revolves around a Facebook app that invites users to upload photos from their travels and share personal stories with friends. By providing a platform for travelers to visually document and narrate their journeys, Expedia reinforces its belief in the transformative power of travel. The campaign leverages social media interactivity to foster community engagement and deepen emotional connections to the brand, positioning Expedia as a facilitator of meaningful travel experiences. Q: What creative device does Find Your Story Application use? A: Find Your Story Application employs the Demonstration format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach directly showcases how the Expedia Facebook app works, focusing on the user experience of uploading trip photos and sharing journeys with friends. The campaign eschews narrative conflict or testimonial in favor of a straightforward demonstration of the app’s functionality and benefits. By illustrating the ease and appeal of capturing and sharing travel experiences, the creative device aims to inspire user participation and highlight the app’s role as a digital storytelling tool. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Find Your Story Application? A: The campaign proposition for Find Your Story Application centers on Expedia’s belief that travel is a deeply personal and transformative experience. By encouraging users to share their unique journeys through photos and stories, Expedia positions itself as more than a booking platform—it becomes a companion in crafting and sharing meaningful travel moments. This strategic positioning targets digitally engaged travelers who value personalization and social sharing, reinforcing Expedia’s commitment to making travel memorable and emotionally resonant within the broader travel and leisure market. Q: How does Find Your Story Application rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Find Your Story Application holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 61/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in Expedia's category? A: In the travel and leisure category, Expedia faces competition from several key brands. Booking.com is known for its user-friendly platform and extensive accommodation options, while Airbnb emphasizes unique, local stays through its peer-to-peer model. TripAdvisor stands out as the world’s largest travel review site, empowering users with millions of traveler reviews and booking capabilities. Kayak operates as a robust travel search engine, aggregating deals for comparison, and Priceline targets budget-conscious travelers with its bidding system and discounted Express Deals. Each competitor brings a distinct strategic focus to the travel marketplace.