Image by Artem Kniaz  /  Unsplash.com

 

Experiential advertising has taken off recently and understandably so, with the pandemic thwarting many Americans’ plans for travel, leisure and out-of-home activities. With the travel industry hit heavily by coronavirus last year, which caused many vacationers to postpone or forego their plans, the folks over at Austin, Texas-based vacation rental marketplace Vrbo drew inspiration from Yes Day, a newly released Netflix comedy, and teamed up with the streaming service to offer themed, family-friendly vacation experiences—and place the kids in charge.

Yes Day, which stars Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramirez, follows a married couple who decides the best way to teach their three children responsibility is to say “yes” to everything they ask in a 24-hour period. (Yikes!) Staying true to the movie’s plotline, Vrbo is offering “Yes Day Stays,” with the option to select one of 10 kid-approved adventures across the country for just $20 per night, including a treehouse, an old firehouse, a farm with a bowling alley and a castle equipped with an arcade. 

Vrbo’s move to create a movie-themed experience shows out-of-the-box thinking on the company’s behalf. Not only do its Yes Day-themed vacations draw inspiration and elements from a popular, family-friendly comedy, but it also takes the movie’s plot—and truthfully, parents saying “yes” to everything for a day is every child’s dream—and makes it into a semi-reality packed with imaginative themes and fun activities. And, also important, Vrbo draws even more attention to its offerings by making it affordable to anyone, even on “a kid’s allowance,” as the website states. Vrbo’s new partnership with Netflix is also a move to compete with Airbnb, which benefitted during the pandemic from its more socially distanced locations and partnerships. Last year, Airbnb auctioned off exclusive stays in a Times Square dome for New Year’s Eve and at the mansion featured in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and a movie marathon at the last-running Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon.  

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Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB.