Kayak campaign targets the friend holding up the group trip

Coordinating a holiday with friends can often feel like a military operation and harder than planning the trip itself. According to new research from Kayak, 84% of group trips never make it beyond the group chat, while 90% of travellers say it’s usually down to one friend who refuses to commit.

To help move conversations from the group chat to the departure gate, the travel search engine has launched BookBoards – personalised digital billboards across New York, Chicago and Los Angeles that publicly call out nominated friends and encourage them to finally book the trip.

Created in partnership with creative agency Rethink, the campaign allows travellers to submit their own group chats for the chance to see their flaky friend featured on a giant billboard.

At the heart of the campaign is a hero film starring comedian and content creator Grace Reiter alongside her real-life friend and fellow actor Julia Dicesare. As Reiter continues to unknowingly put off booking their trip, she’s followed by impossible-to-ignore reminders, from the towering BookBoards to a personalised latte and even a trained dog urging her to book.

“We loved the idea of turning digital procrastination into a real-world experience that people could participate in, creating a campaign that’s as interactive as it is entertaining,” said Tara Lawall, chief creative officer, New York, at Rethink.

Selected submissions will appear on digital billboards throughout August in locations near the offices and neighbourhoods of those nominated.