Video: The worst youth hostel ad you will ever see

by Melanie Renzulli on

Youth hostels. You don’t expect too much from them except a bunk, a breakfast, and a budget-friendly rate. A hostel in Sydney, however, is betting it has every amenity that a backpacker could want and has mashed them together in this god-awful video.

From the 2001: A Space Odyssey intro to the autotune at the end, the video for 790 on George has managed to make what seems to be a perfectly nice hostel in downtown Sydney into a hellhole full of explosions and honking horns. Then there’s the Michael Cera look-alike giving the thumbs-up at every turn.

The whole production is a train wreck and is enough to scare away this traveler. But I’m sure there will be a small segment of backpackers that will want to stay at 790 on George for the ironic value. Let’s hope that an uptick in guests will enable the hostel to increase its advertising budget next time around.


Photo of the day – Traveler vs tourist

by Meg Nesterov on

Ah, the good old tourist vs. traveler debate. Every travel blog has inevitably touched on this non-issue of which is more “authentic” or “real.” Can’t we all just get along? Whether you hit the road to check the big tourist attractions off your list or do as the locals do, you’re traveling and you’re not really local, so who cares which way is better? This photo from Mumbai by Flickr user Chris Hoare captures a small market heavy on the advertising from Indian TV channel Fox History & Traveller and the world’s favorite drink, Coca Cola. While a trip to India should definitely include a sampling of local foods and beverages, you could hardly be called a tourist for drinking the same soda the native population enjoys.

Have any travel photos to capture the traveler or tourist experience? Add them to the Gadling Flickr pool and we may use it for a future Photo of the Day.

Travel industry spending big bucks for you to see them online

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you saw a banner ad today, there’s a good chance it was from a travel company. The industry is recovering as the country moves away from the recession, and airlines, hotels and rental car companies want to claim their share of your cash. To reach into your wallet, these guys are moving online, and they’re spending a boatload of bucks.

Unsurprisingly, the retail sector leads the world in online ad spending, pumping $5.16 billion into it last year – with an expected $5.73 billion to come in 2011. That’s good for 20 percent of the online ad market in 2010 and 2011. The travel industry is a lot smaller. It spent $1.81 billion last year to capture 5.6 percent of online advertising spend. In 2011, eMarketer expects travel companies to push their investments higher, with online ad spending forecasted to reach a whopping $1.95 billion.

You know what’s funny? In 2010, travel companies were responsible for 7 percent of online ad spending in the United States, but the extra $1.4 billion coming this year isn’t good enough to keep that level. In 2011, travel’s share of the online advertising pie will drop to 6.8 percent, according to the eMarketer estimates.

So, what should you take from this?

Travel companies are looking for growth. The market is coming back, and travelers are taking to the road again. Improved service and additional routes are nice, but it’s also important to get in front of potential buyers. After all, we know what kind of wheel gets the grease!

Air New Zealand launches ads with foul-mouthed puppet

by Mike Barish on

Air New Zealand has never been shy in their use of video. This is the airline that used body paint to promote their services. They hosted a Matchmaking Flight. They used the body paint again in their in-flight safety videos. So, it should come as no surprise that they’ve launched a new ad campaign starring a foul-mouthed puppet. Rico has a thick accent, a penchant for employing some well-timed double entendres and seems to spend an awful lot of time on transcontinental flights.

Check out one of the ads above and two more here and here. As we have in the past when we covered some of Air New Zealand’s risque ads and videos, we ask you to share your thoughts in the comments. Is this another example of a cheeky airline with a sense of humor and the courage to have a personality or evidence that they have crossed a line? I vote for the former. What say you?

Photo of the Day (8.15.10)

by Jeremy Kressmann on
Hats off to Flickr user Flavio@Flickr (on and off during August), whose great eye and quick fingers caught this moment of billboard silliness in Israel. A giant advertising display isn’t typically cause for its own photo, but Flavio proves how to make it work. When you’re out taking photos on your next trip, don’t think of your camera’s subject in isolation. Instead, think of how that simple building or billboard could “interact” with the people in the frame to create a great story for the audience.

Have any humorous photos from your own travels? Why not share them with us by adding them our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.