Expedia Media Solutions Announces New Expandable Advertising Product
BELLEVUE, Wash., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia(R) Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of Expedia, Inc., today introduced StorePoint Expandables, a new advertising product that combines rich media functionality with engaging micro-site content, offering a fresh way for travel and non-travel brands to interact with consumers on Expedia.com(R), the world's most visited travel Web site.
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"StorePoint Expandables bring brand advertisers and travel destinations a more powerful way to connect with consumers through relevant, content-rich and targeted experiences," said Doug Miller, global vice president of Expedia Media Solutions. "StorePoint Expandables go beyond traditional online advertising, giving users an interactive environment with detailed, valuable information that truly helps them plan and prepare for their trip."
Featuring a user-initiated design that expands over page content for easy navigation, StorePoint Expandables enable consumers to engage in an information-rich, micro-site experience without leaving the original page or the transaction funnel. Functionality of the new product includes interactive maps, video and audio capabilities, exclusive travel promotions, calendar reminders, RSS feeds and other dynamic activity.
In a recent pilot program for the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, StorePoint Expandables proved its potential, driving a 19 percent increase in room nights booked in San Diego the first month of the campaign and a 45 percent increase during the second month of the campaign.
"We were amazed with the success of the initial campaign and definitely plan to partner with Expedia Media Solutions in this way again," said Kerri Verbeke Kapich, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships, San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau. "During the promotion we were able to bring our message to millions of travel shoppers visiting Expedia.com in a way that provided compelling content and served as a helpful tool for consumers planning travel."
StorePoint Expandables builds on Expedia Media Solutions' growing product portfolio, which also includes PassportAds(TM), a behavioral advertising product launched in February 2009, and TravelAds, a bid for placement product introduced in 2008. PassportAds allow advertisers to reach a highly qualified audience of anonymous Expedia users as they browse the Web, while TravelAds offer hotel partners the ability to differentiate their property by bidding for premium placement within hotel search results on Expedia.com and Hotels.com(R).
With myriad advertising and sponsorship opportunities, Expedia Media Solutions offers a viable marketing platform for advertising partners to reach the more than 59 million monthly unique users that visit Expedia, Inc. Web sites - 61 percent of all online travelers in the U.S. and more than a third worldwide(1). For more information on Expedia Media Solutions and StorePoint Expandables, please visit www.advertising.expedia.com.
About Expedia Media Solutions
Formed in 2007, Expedia Media Solutions is dedicated to building online and offline media partnerships for travel and non-travel brand advertisers and to enable them to leverage the unique media value of Expedia's network of leading travel brands and global points of sale. For more information, visit www.advertising.expedia.com.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the world's leading online travel company, empowering business and leisure travelers with the tools and information they need to easily research, plan, book and experience travel. Expedia, Inc. also provides in-destination concierge service and activity desks for travelers. The Expedia, Inc. portfolio of brands includes: Expedia.com, hotels.com, Hotwire, Egencia (formerly Expedia Corporate Travel), TripAdvisor, Expedia Local Expert, Classic Vacations and eLong. Expedia, Inc.'s companies operate more than 60 global points of sale in more than 40 countries, with sites in North America, South America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. Expedia, Inc. is a component of the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit http://www.expediainc.com/.
(1) comScore data March 2009
Expedia, Expedia.com, PassportAds and the Airplane logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Hotels.com is a registered trademarks of Hotels.com, LP, a subsidiary of Hotels.com in the U.S. and/or other countries. (C) 2009 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. . CST # 2029030-40
SOURCE Expedia Media Solutions