Hasta La Creative!

At the beginning of the month, Priceline announced it was in the early stages of a creative review and that incumbent agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, who have held the account since 2006, were participating. Now it appears the incumbent agency has opted out of the review.

“We feel that focusing on current clients, new clients and our new business pipeline is a better use of resources,” BSSP CEO Greg Stern told Adweek. “BSSP and Priceline have had a long, successful relationship—far longer than the average client-agency tenure. We wish them nothing but success in the future.”

The agency’s decision to opt out immediately preceded Priceline’s naming of seven semifinalists in the review, identified by Priceline chief marketing officer Brett Keller as Grey, Droga5, Arnold, BBDO, Leo Burnett, Venables Bell & Partners and The Martin Agency. “They’ve got a lot of great talent there,” he told Adweek, referring to Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners. “We would have loved to have seen them participate, but we completely respect and understand their decision.”

Priceline, which Kantar Media estimates spends $40 million on media annually, will visit the seven semifinalists to select finalists in the review next month. The review, which is being managed by Ark Advisors, is expected to conclude by the end of the summer.

These are the voyages of Priceline’s Negotiator. His 17-year mission: To seek out the best travel deals, and boldly pitch like no man has pitched before.

William Shatner returns Sunday during NBC’s Super Bowl pregame coverage in his long-running role as spokesman for the online travel site. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting also beams down for an appearance as the Negotiator’s daughter in this 30-second spot from Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners. On game day, it won’t leave you feeling deflated. (Or you can just enjoy it here and now. Whatever.)

After nearly two decades, the template is well established. Shats goofs around in his gloriously self-conscious style … and, well, what else do you need? In this one, he strolls through various hotel lobbies, changes hats a lot and puts some dude in a headlock. (The Gorn can commiserate.)

If any other actor indulged in such hackneyed horseplay, it’d be a travesty. But this is Shatner. As always, he serves up the ham with a succulent glaze.

Site especializado em oferecer bons preços em tarifas aéreas e hotéis, o Priceline é representado por um personagem misterioso, mas cheio de carisma. O Negociador, ninguém menos do que o Capitão Kirk, digo, William Shatner, teve um 2012 bastante complicado. Em janeiro, ele foi dado como morto, para depois revelar que estava vivo em agosto. Um novo filme, lançado este mês, já está causando entre os fãs: o personagem tem uma filha secreta, ninguém menos do que Penny, Penny, Penny Kaley Cuoco. Em resumo: é um sonho dos nerds realizado.

O roteiro é o de sempre: a garota é deixada pelo pai para ser criada por um monge cantonês e aprender a arte da negociação – que papai já domina. Após 20 anos, ele volta para buscá-la e ela reclama sobre ter perdido a infância. Quando o Negociador questiona a filha se ela ao menos aprendeu a difícil arte da negociação, ela mostra o que aprendeu e apresenta as novas facilidades de acesso ao Priceline. E ainda dá um recadinho do monge ao papi, em cantonês, que pode ser traduzido em “você ainda deve 5 dólares para ele”.

A campanha tem direção de Nicolas Winding Refn, com produção da Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners.

Post originalmente publicado no Brainstorm #9
Twitter | Facebook | Contato | Anuncie