Travel Tours Gen Y Friendly, Contiki Vows - Contiki US Holdings Inc. to target young adults in new marketing campaign - Brief Article

Brandweek, Jan 15, 2001 by Mike Beirne

Contiki Holidays is breaking its first TV spot along with print, a sweepstakes and trailers on video rentals in its largest campaign to date.

The Travel Shop unit's will target college students and young adults while trying to dispel the myth that tour travel means a motor coach for seniors. Creative includes client testimonials.

Four print ads, via Myriad Travel Marketing, Manhattan Beach, Calif., hit February and spring issues of Maxim, Men's Journal and Jane, with headlines like "Europe on 25 Girls a Day!!" above the photo of a man amid a gaggle of girls and "Where is My Italian Stallion?" screened over two women with a gondolier. Tag: "Worldwide Vacations for 18-35 year-olds." Budget: an estimated $1.5 million.

A subsequent ad will play off Survivor II buzz by touting Contiki's Australia tour package. Also, Mademoiselle's April issue spotlights Contiki as its Travel Club partner. That deal includes in-book exposure, access to the Travel Club database and a Contiki Hawaii trip launched specially for readers.

A 30-second spot will run on MTV and Comedy Central starting in the first half of 2001. Contiki will likely tap a yet-unsigned Santa Monica, Calif., agency for that work.

Contiki also bows a co-op campaign with the American Automobile Association dubbed "Get Rid of the Kid." Ads like, "If you love your kid, tell them to hit the road," target parents of grads. Ads hit Westway, Reader's Digest's New Choices and regional AAA pubs.

The Garden Grove, Calif., company also partners with Lion Gate Films to put Contiki trailers on 10 videos, one dangling a trip giveaway, to be distributed this year in the U.S. and Canada.