Tripadvisor launches in-house creative studio to offer partners 'cutting edge' marketing solutions

New York-based Wanderlab has secured a $1.5 million partnership with San Diego Tourism Authority and released a documentary by Emmy Award winning director Andrew Stephan

Tripadvisor has launched its own in-house design studio to help travel partners target its global audience of engaged travellers.

Wanderlab is a standalone division headquartered in New York that will offer a global team of strategists, creatives, designers and content specialists. 

It will cover a wide-range of media including sponsored brand and editorial content on Tripadvisor, influencer and social-first activations, interactive video and voice experiences.

The studio will headed up by Christine Maguire, vice president and general manager, Tripadvisor Media.

Tripadvisor said Wanderlab is “the fulfillment of an idea set in motion pre-pandemic to offer both travel and non-travel brands more than boxes and banner advertising options on Tripadvisor”.

It will support them to tap into first party data with “inspirational creative and focusing on cutting-edge marketing solutions”. 

Wanderlab adds to Tripadvisor’s existing media offering “providing bold and compelling ways for brands to reach an audience of high intent, high spend travel shoppers, both on and off its platform,” the company said.

Maguire added: “Tripadvisor’s wealth of traveller insights sits at the heart of Wanderlab.

“No one knows the world's experience seekers like we do. We see an opportunity to create a more efficient media marketplace where we connect the right advertisers with the right consumers through inspiring and relevant creative, powered by global insights.”

Wanderlab’s launch was accompanies by the announcement of a $1.5 million partnership commitment with the San Diego Tourism Authority.

This will focus on promoting the city’s through a range of custom online content offline activity including interactive street murals scheduled in markets around the US.

Kerri Kapich, chief operating officer at San Diego Tourism Authority, said: "We’re looking forward to working with a premier partner, Tripadvisor, on a first-of-its-kind, innovative program, that uses data and insights to get unexpected, unique creative in front of the right consumer, in the right markets and at the right time.”

 “Our launch partnership with San Diego Tourism Authority is a fantastic example of how bringing together world-class creative and real-world insights can elevate a campaign to something truly inspiring and effective,” added Maguire.

“Brands are increasingly looking for new ways to tell their stories. We feel our innovation-first approach, combined with the power of the Tripadvisor platform, is a very compelling proposition for advertisers from across the industry.”

 Wanderlab’s official launch also saw it unveil its first creative output called Lost & Found, a mini documentary that explores travel through the eyes of Generation Z.  

Produced by Emmy Award winning director, Andrew Stephan, the documentary follows a group of young travellers, exploring what makes travel meaningful for their generation and how they hope to explore the world in the future.