The Roaming Gnome Asks Consumers Where They Wanna Go to Win a Trip of a Lifetime
SOUTHLAKE, TX – MARCH 10, 2014 – On a mission to inspire people to do things they’ve never done and see things they’ve never seen, Travelocity and The Roaming Gnome are inviting consumers once again to “Go & Smell the Roses” in a series of new advertising, digital and promotional efforts that encourage would-be travelers to actively dream about where they want to go. The new integrated campaign highlights the very best of The Roaming Gnome’s globetrotting adventures and kicks off the #iWannaGo Contest, enticing consumers to tell The Roaming Gnome where they want to travel for a chance to win their ultimate dream vacation.
“Focusing on #iWannaGo in our newest campaign is more than just a contest. It’s a way to celebrate the universal truth of wanderlust and to encourage travelers to share their travel dreams with others,” said Bradley Wilson, chief marketing officer, Travelocity North America. “Whether it’s booking a quick trip to see family and friends or traveling to far-off lands and exotic destinations, we want to hear about it…we also want to help you get there. We want to know, where do you wanna go?” The #iWannaGo promotion was unveiled last night alongside the debut of the brand’s seven new “Go & Smell the Roses” television spots and an integrated partnership with CBS’ All-Star Edition of “The Amazing Race” where The Roaming Gnome joined contestants on an amazing adventure through waterfalls and raging rivers in the jungles of Borneo. Developed with Durham-based advertising agency McKinney, the seven new television spots – “Sidecar,” “Safari,” “Walls,” “Beached,” “Surf,” “Swordfish,” and “Rappelling” – are the newest extensions to the brand’s wildly popular “Go & Smell the Roses” campaign that launched in 2013. The new spots can be seen on major broadcast and cable networks including, ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX and exclusively on Travelocity’s own social media channels including Facebook (www.Facebook.com/Travelocity), YouTube (www.YouTube.com/Travelocity) and Twitter channel (@RoamingGnome). #IWannaGo Contest Details Beginning March 6 through May 5, 2014, consumers can tell The Roaming Gnome where they wanna go by posting dream travel tweets, photos or videos on Twitter, Instagram or Vine using the hashtag #iWannaGo. Two winners selected at random will win their dream #iWannaGo trip, and will be announced via social media in April and May. For the full contest details and official rules visit, Travelocity.com/iWannaGo. #IWannaGo Travel Survey As part of #iWannaGo, Travelocity conducted a national survey to better understand and identify where, how and with whom most Americans prefer to travel. According to the survey, when asked who most Americans would prefer to vacation with, nearly half (44%) stated their significant other. However if the opportunity to vacation with a celebrity presented itself, nearly 40% said they would opt for someone funny like Ellen or Jimmy Fallon. Other highlights from the national telephone survey included:- 44% of respondents want a relaxing trip, especially women (55%) who want to be on a beach or at a spa
- 33% of millennials (18-34) prefer a European vacation
- 27% of Americans want to stay on their home soil (U.S.) for travel and vacation
- 25% of men want to travel to Australia
- 21% of luxury travelers (household incomes of $100K+) want to go on vacation with “someone smart” like Mark Zuckerberg or Marissa Mayer