Hotels.com is now synonymous with the word pronounced, and Captain Obvious is the guy making it happen.
If you ever remarked only to get a “Thank you, Captain Obvious.” response, you know how disparaging that can feel.
You didn’t like it. Well, Brandon Moynihan does.
Who is Brandon Moynihan?
Brandon Moynihan is the guy behind the killer ad campaign by Hotels.com, “The Obvious Choice.” Since the year 2014, his job on Hotels.com has been to help travelers make the obvious choice.
Brandon brings Captain Obvious to life and takes the pleasure of pointing out what is self-evident. Who knew obvious statements could be so delightful and downright funny?
Captain Obvious’s one not so prominent character is his ubiquity. You can find him anywhere; in the present, in the future, and most recently, in the past.
The Dressing
Captain Obvious is a skinny bearded man that you will, most times, find clad in a red jacket, white shirt, black pants, black shoes, black tie, and a beard. The military look.
Sometimes you will find him in a high-waisted swimsuit and other captivating gears to match the occasion.
During his recent trip to the ’90s, Captain Obvious looked at the part in a multicolored jumpsuit ready to teach us about the birds and the bees.
After traveling to the future and losing his hair, it’s quite a relief seeing him in his mane.
The Obvious
Can you already feel the obviousness by now?
Captain Obvious Ad campaign props are a perfect fit for Hotels.com.
Think about it.
If you were planning on traveling and looking to make hotel reservations most conveniently, your first stop would be on the Internet. Right?
Your search is also highly likely to default to Hotels.com.
Why?
Because it is the prominent place to find a hotel room on the Internet, isn’t that just obvious?
The Ad
Businesses are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves and rise above the competition. Hotels.com is no exception. It is a business found in one of the most crowded industries, the hospitality industry. The competition only gets worse when your target market consists mainly of online customers.
Hotels.com has, however, found a not-so-obvious way to stand out from the crowd by taking the obvious way, literally.
And who tells the obvious better than the captain himself?
The ad contains a series of videos, currently two of them, shot in a classroom setting under the tagline “Practice Safe Booking.”
In these two videos, the focus is on highlighting the product benefits.
The message is clear; Just as using protection to avoid dealing with unnecessary commitments, later on, booking your hotel stay via Hotel.com means you can cancel at any time without any obligations.
From the second video, the lesson is that even if your friends judge you for sleeping around, Hotels.com won’t. They will reward you for it instead.
The Product Benefits
Captain Obvious’s video on Practising Safe Booking may be obvious, but why is it safer for you to book your hotel reservation through Hotels.com?
For two reasons/benefits:
- Free cancellation option
- The reward program
Free Cancellation Benefit
One of the reasons booking with hotels.com is safe is because there is more to gain than lose.
When making a reservation, like many others, you could make a mistake that could cost you your money, like filling in the wrong arrival and departure dates and time.
In such a moment, you would realize how lucky you are for making your reservation on Hotels.com.
Why?
Because you can cancel your reservation and get your money back.
You see, when you make a hotel reservation, the transaction will be made using either your credit or debit card. But then you will have limited chances of getting a refund if you planned to change for some reason.
Hotels.com, however, is clear that they will honor your refunds.
How soon you will access the funds is determined by two factors:
- The airline you chose
- Your bank or payment service
Hotels.com encourages its clients to book refundable rooms for utmost convenience, in case they may require to make changes or cancel their reservations.
The Rewards Program Benefits
This is the second benefit you get for booking your hotel reservation via Hotels.com.
When you book your hotel stay via Hotels.com, it means you will be eligible for their loyalty program. You will be rewarded with a complimentary visit on your 11th night.
But that is not the only qualification for eligibility for the free reward night.
To get your reward night, you must first:
- Collect your stamps by signing in before you book. That way, Hotels.com can add stamps to your account.
- Make sure the property you book is eligible for the reward program.
- Don’t just book and cancel; you have to stay to get your stamps. Stamps are added only after checkout.
If you are one of those people who travel a lot, whether it’s for work or pleasure, it will benefit you to keep tabs on Captain Obvious. If you are a good student and follow the captain’s instructions, you will get the most out of your money.
