Celebrating the Weekend Warrior
#pokethebear was a social campaign concept for Travelodge hotels. The campaign looked to leverage Travelodge’s close proximity to many of the US National Parks, the brand message of “Stay Close to Adventure” and partnerships with the NPCA.
Adventurers, thrill seekers and action sports enthusiasts were encouraged to share their adventures on instagram with the hashtag #pokethebear. At the end of the campaign, a hand full of winners would receive a free stay at the Travelodge of their choice and would travel with a small video crew to professionally document their adventure.
My Role
For this project, I lead the storyboarding and art direction of the concept video as well as the final video editing. I also worked alongside a copywriter who developed the tone for the campaign and a media manager that assisted with sourcing video footage.
Why Poke the Bear?
The target audience for the #pokethebear campaign was active young adults between the ages of 26 and 35 who enjoyed travel, being outdoors and action sports. These people enjoyed getting in mother natures face and conquering any obstacle she threw at them.
When naming the campaign, the team brainstormed sayings and turns of phrase that signified this defiant, rebellious, adventurous spirit.
Some examples included:
- Stirring the pot
- Rattling the cage
Eventually, the team settled on #pokethebear as a tribute to the Travelodge brand’s long time mascot Sleepy Bear.
The Final Cut
Below is the final cut of the teaser video the team presented when pitching the #pokethebear campaign concept:
Results
While the #pokethebear campaign concept never went live, the team felt like the tone and underlying message of the campaign was adopted by the brand in other initiatives like the “Your Basecamp for Adventure” tag line and continuing partnerships with the NPCA and other active lifestyle brands.
