Hotels.com Receives EFFIE Award
Hotels.com receives Bronze EFFIE Award for SMART Campaign.

DALLAS, TX, June 26, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Hotels.com has been revealed as a recipient of the Bronze marketing and Communications award by the EFFIE Worldwide Organization in the Travel, Tourism and destination category for its SMART campaign.

"Hotels.com continues to separate itself from other online travel companies with unique promotions and imaginative campaigns, and the SMART character personifies that powerful, yet fun brand advocate that we knew our customers could identify with," said Vic Walia, Sr. Director, North America brand marketing for Hotels.com. "This recognition by EFFIE is a true testament to the original thinking and cutting-edge efforts of everyone involved in the creation of SMART and we're truly humbled by the response this campaign has received from customers and industry leaders alike."

Hotels.com, in conjunction with marketing partners Y&R Chicago and TargetCast, developed a theme with the purpose of reassuring hotel consumers that Hotels.com is "A Smarter Way to Book" - that consumers are being smart without having to spend hours looking for travel deals. By leveraging Claymation technology to create an animated spokesperson called "SMART," voiced by actor Ed Helms of The Hangover and NBC's The Office.

Through the use of broadcast and cable buy-ins, combined with digital media efforts, four commercials were developed starring SMART. Each video integrated the advantages of booking with Hotels.com. Additionally, SMART appears at every possible touch-point where travel is top-of-mind for consumers, including appearances on TV, in rental cars, and even in New York Times Square.

The EFFIE Awards are presented yearly by the New York American Marketing Association and are universally recognized as the leading indicator for honoring programs that positively contribute to a company's brand success in the continually changing world of marketing communications.

Press Release Contact Information:

Taylor L. Cole
Hotels.com
APR director of public relations
10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 800
Dallas, Texas
United Kingdom 75231
Voice: 469.335.8442
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