Expedia reveals new brand positioning as world prepares for return of travel demand

After one of the toughest years for the travel industry, Expedia , one of the world's leading full-service travel brands, has announced a new direction in brand positioning in anticipation of the post-vaccination travel demand. The new brand positioning is grounded in the idea that who you travel with matters, and it marks the beginning of Expedia’s journey in becoming the ‘ultimate travel companion,’ accompanying travellers all the way.

After deep customer research to understand and address critical traveller pain points, the new positioning marks an important moment for the brand as it looks to overhaul its business to better cater to travellers who value maximising their time and want to get the most out of their overall travel experience.

The rebrand includes an updated visual identity and enhanced product offerings, with Expedia looking to double down on efforts to deliver on travellers’ evolving wants and needs in a post-pandemic world.

"For the past 25 years, we've been focused on volume and transactions as our way of growing our business. What we've found however, over the past year, is that our customers want more from a travel company. They want a trusted partner who is there with them every step of the way, supporting them to ensure they get the most out of their trips," says Shiv Singh, senior VP and general manager at Expedia Brand.

Using a singular creative platform and a new tagline "It matters who you travel with" travellers will see the idea of Expedia as the ultimate travel companion come through in unique ways across various channels, creating a cohesive message that will resonate as people start traveling again.

"Like many travel brands, COVID-19 has forced us all to look inwards and reflect on who we are as a brand and what that means to our consumers. As travellers adjust to the new norms post-COVID, we must adjust as well, and this is just the first chapter in a multi-year journey to really deliver against our mission of being a brand that is there for travellers from start to finish.” Says Singh.

The rebrand is centred around a refresh of Expedia’s platform experience across its mobile app and more than 70 websites. The new home screens reflect a clear and simple layout, with product features that aim to empower travellers to build a complete trip that suits their needs and interests.

It has introduced a series of updates aligned to its brand vision in being the ultimate travel companion, including a new itinerary experience that allows travellers to see all the details of their trip in one place, the development of a ‘keep planning’ feature that plays back recent searches,  a simple insurance experience, and an enhanced virtual agent platform.

"Our new brand positioning acts as a promise to the traveller who wants to be engaged by possibilities, but now more than ever needs to feel supported throughout their journey,” says Singh.