Ken’s New Job Is Journey Influencer—and 65 of His Followers Will Win $1,000 for Their Subsequent Journey

He’s not simply Ken, he’s now a journey influencer!

Expedia wasn’t toying round after they had been searching for their subsequent model ambassador, partnering with Mattel’s Barbie model’s beloved Ken doll. This 12 months, he’ll be venturing away from his laidback California life-style in Malibu and setting out world wide on 65 adventures in celebration of his sixty fifth anniversary. (Not his birthday, he’s far too younger for retirement!) 

The blond famous person will kick off his year-long celebration within the largest method doable, with a Tremendous Bowl industrial that can air each earlier than and after the massive Feb. 8 soccer sport. In it, we’ll see Ken step away from the seashore he’s identified so effectively for greater than six a long time and immerse himself in worldwide locations in an advert referred to as “Going Locations with Ken.”

“Expedia rapidly noticed Ken’s rising enchantment and solid him for his massive sport debut,” Mattel’s Mahta Eghbali stated in an announcement. She emphasised that as a worldwide icon, “Ken isn’t simply related; he’s premium expertise with the presence, vary, and attain to encourage followers throughout generations.”

Amongst his first travels will likely be Italy, Japan, and Mexico Metropolis, as he reveals his followers and followers how straightforward it’s to transcend the comforts of his hometown for the primary time as a beginner traveler. We see him pack his yellow hardside suitcase (he folds his garments and would not roll them), experience a airplane within the aisle seat (maybe he is aware of this aisle seat trick), and even converse Italian as he drives by way of the Italian countryside, determining which facet of the highway to be on.

Ken’s marketing campaign may even embrace the launch of a brand new Expedia platform referred to as The One Place You Go to Go Locations, emphasizing how straightforward it’s to e-book and handle all elements of a visit on the positioning, particularly by bundling flights, lodging, and automobile leases to economize. 

The modern stop-motion adverts—produced by BucK and Bix Pix, together with Expedia and Mattel’s groups—had been filmed shot-by-shot utilizing old-school strategies courting from the Nineties to offer them a throwback, however lifelike look. 

However, after all, touring is not any enjoyable with out buddies, so Ken may even be sharing his journeys, beginning on Tremendous Bowl Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. with an interactive social media Q&A on Expedia’s Threads account. That day, Ken may even launch a contest wherein 65 of his followers who have interaction within the Q+A will be chosen to win $1,000 in OneKeyCash for journey booked on Expedia.

Ken’s journeys may even be spotlighted on Instagram, TikTok, and Fb on the accounts @Barbie, @Barbiestyle, and @Expedia.

Along with his sixty fifth anniversary marketing campaign actually being about Ken saying, “Good day New Beginnings,” the partnership marks step one of a 12 months of Ken-ventures in a method we’ve by no means seen earlier than.

“Since his debut in 1961, Ken has confirmed his capacity to captivate hearts whereas all the time remaining true to his enjoyable, playful character,” Mattel’s Nathan Baynard stated in an announcement.  “Now, we’re proud to have fun his sixty fifth anniversary as a second of reinvention as he steps into uncharted territory.”