VRBO / HomeAway - Commercial

The Challenge: At the time, HomeAway (now VRBO) had low brand awareness in the UK, especially among millesimals. The goal was to motivate this audience to book weekend getaways by addressing a core barrier to booking.

My Approach:The campaign was centered on the emotional trigger FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) which is common among millennials. As a creative strategist I identified a key insight: millennials often play the social comparison game while scrolling through Instagram. The concept was a commercial that would directly tap into this feeling, showing a protagonist who dreams of being judged by her friends for her boring lifestyle. The solution was a weekend getaway.

My Role: I was the Creative Lead on this project and was responsible for the full production pipeline: concepting, scripting, storyboarding, filming, editing, colour grading, and sound design.

As the Writer and Director, I crafted a narrative that felt authentic and relatable, guided the actors to deliver performances that captured the feeling of social anxiety, light comedy, and the ultimate relief of escape.

As the Art Director, I collaborated with the production team to develop a visual world that supported the narrative, from the claustrophobic, dull reality to the light and easy breezy coastal getaway.

I personally oversaw the post-production process, leading the edit to ensure its pace translated the emotions of the story. I used a slower pace to show the boredom of their everyday lives and a quicker pace to communicate their enthusiasm and joy of being outside of the house. The color correction, music, and sound design were all created to support the narrative, making the final film feel authentic and relatable to the target audience.

Outcome: The campaign resonated with the target audience, successfully leveraging FOMO as a motivator for travel. Delivered on time and within budget, the commercial increased brand awareness in the UK market and was well-received by stakeholders.