Booking.com’s latest campaign is pulling out all the stops, tapping into nostalgia, tech upgrades, and its signature “something for everyone” strategy. The travel giant’s 30-second ad spot, set to air during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, stars The Muppets, marking the company’s fourth consecutive appearance in the coveted advertising lineup. But with mixed reviews on the effectiveness of its strategy, does this campaign signal a new direction or a doubling down on a potentially flawed approach?
The Muppets Meet Booking.com: What the New Ad Delivers
Developed in partnership with creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo and media firm Mindshare, the commercial features iconic Muppet characters navigating different types of travel experiences. The choice of The Muppets injects playful nostalgia into the ad, appealing to both younger and older generations while showcasing Booking.com’s vast range of lodging options:
- Kermit the Frog and Animal soak up the sun at a beachfront vacation rental.
- Miss Piggy indulges in luxury at a lavish boutique hotel.
- Human travelers enjoy diverse getaways, including a family-friendly waterpark and a bachelorette party in Las Vegas.
In addition to promoting its wide selection of properties, the ad spotlights Booking.com’s key tech features: an easy-to-use app, smart filters, verified reviews, free cancellation options, and an AI-powered trip planner—marking a notable shift from previous celebrity-driven campaigns featuring Tina Fey, Idris Elba, and Melissa McCarthy.
What Is the Tagline Booking.com Uses in Its 2025 Ads?
A key feature of Booking.com’s 2025 Super Bowl campaign is its tagline: “Find exactly what you’re booking for.” The wordplay reinforces the platform’s core promise—offering travelers the ability to book accommodations tailored to their specific needs, whether it’s a luxurious boutique hotel, a family-friendly resort, or a rustic cabin getaway.
The 15-Second Booking.com Ads: Tailored Travel Segments
Alongside the main 30-second commercial, Booking.com will also run four 15-second spots, each highlighting a different traveler segment and showcasing the platform’s ability to cater to diverse needs.
Getaways for Prima Donnas and Parents
Title: There is no place like a desert home
This ad features Miss Piggy enjoying a romantic hotel stay until a chaotic family with kids bursts into the scene. The humor comes full circle as the family is later seen enjoying a serene house in a picturesque desert setting.
Transcript: “Booking.com has all kinds of stays because a romantic hotel works for some—is that a mirror?—but not others. Find exactly what you’re booking for.”
Vacays for the Young and the Really, Really Old
Title: Thirsty for nightlife
A sun-soaked beach scene featuring young vacationers playing frisbee quickly transitions to a group of vampire-like characters desperately avoiding the sun. The ad ends on a fun note with the vampires partying under a giant disco ball.
Transcript: “Booking.com has all kinds of stays because some love a sunny resort, others not so much. Find exactly what you’re booking for.”
Trips for Families and Friends
Title: Escape to Vegas
This ad starts at a lively family resort, where children splashing down a water slide unintentionally drench a nearby bachelorette party. The spot concludes with the bachelorettes letting loose in a large living room party, complete with a familiar disco ball.
Transcript: “Booking.com has all kinds of stays for those who love family resorts and for those who do not—there we go. Find exactly what you’re booking for.”
Stays for Fashionistas and Fishermen
Title: Not that kind of mud
Opening at a scenic lakeside cabin, two friends excitedly celebrate catching an enormous fish. Meanwhile, just around the corner, a fashion-forward couple panics as they encounter a crocodile in a swamp. The spot wraps up with the couple enjoying a spa day.
Transcript: “Booking.com has all kinds of stays because some love a rustic cabin, others feel differently. Find exactly what you’re booking for.”
Nostalgia Meets Innovation: The Key Differences from Past Campaigns
This year’s Super Bowl ad introduces several notable changes compared to previous years:
- Cast: The Muppets replace high-profile human celebrities like Melissa McCarthy and Idris Elba, offering a more family-friendly and nostalgic twist.
- Theme Evolution: The ad maintains the “book whoever you want to be” concept but integrates The Muppets to emphasize fun and diverse travel options.
- Tech and Flexibility Focus: Unlike previous campaigns that leaned heavily on humor and spectacle, this ad highlights practical benefits, including app usability and free cancellation.
- Timing: The shift to a fourth-quarter slot instead of the second quarter hints at a strategic bet on capturing attention toward the end of the game, where memorable impressions can linger.
Why the Emphasis on Flexibility and Tech?
Booking.com’s increased focus on its app and flexible cancellation policies aligns with broader industry trends, including Airbnb’s recent updates that can be seen as favoring guests over hosts. The reasons behind this shift are likely multifaceted:
- New user acquisition: Flexible policies can act as an effective tool to attract younger, more risk-averse travelers who value booking flexibility.
- Market conditions: With oversupply reducing hosts’ bargaining power, platforms can prioritize guest preferences without significant risk of losing inventory.
- Reputation management: Flexible guest-centric policies enhance brand reputation, portraying Booking.com as empathetic and traveler-friendly.
- Economic uncertainty: In a climate of inflation and recession fears, travelers are more likely to book if they can cancel without financial risk.
While this approach may improve guest loyalty and bookings in the short term, it raises questions about long-term impacts on host relationships—a tension that platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb continue to navigate.
Is Booking.com’s “Something for Everyone” Strategy Working?
The effectiveness of Booking.com’s “something for everyone” strategy depends on where you look.
On one hand, the company’s financial performance has been impressive. In Q3 2024, Booking.com reported $8 billion in revenue, a 9% year-over-year increase, with adjusted EBITDA up 12% at $3.7 billion. Notably, room night growth in the alternative accommodations segment—which includes short-term rentals—rose by 14%, signaling that travelers are booking across its diverse property options.
However, customer satisfaction metrics paint a less rosy picture. Booking.com holds a 1.2-star rating on Sitejabber based on over 4,200 reviews and a 2.5-star rating on Trustpilot from more than 81,000 reviews. Common complaints center on poor customer service, cancellation issues, and inconsistent property quality—suggesting that while the platform is winning on volume, it’s struggling with quality control and service consistency.
Balancing Growth and Guest Experience
Booking.com’s strategy of offering 28 million properties worldwide is a quantity-driven approach, but scaling up without sufficient focus on quality can come at a cost. With continued growth in revenue but persistent negative feedback, the platform faces a critical question: Can it continue to rely on financial wins while customer sentiment lags behind?
What This Campaign Means for the Future
By pairing The Muppets’ nostalgic charm with practical app-focused features, Booking.com is making a calculated effort to broaden its appeal and reinforce its tech-savvy credentials. However, whether this campaign will be enough to bridge the gap between financial success and customer satisfaction remains to be seen.
If the ad resonates during the Super Bowl—an event known for making or breaking big marketing moments—Booking.com could further entrench itself as a go-to travel platform. But as competition heats up and platforms like Airbnb continue innovating in guest-centric policies, Booking.com may need more than nostalgia and app updates to deliver on its “something for everyone” promise.
For now, The Muppets may have stolen the spotlight, but the real test lies beyond the fourth quarter.
