Mattel's Ken Is Going Places With Expedia

Italy, Japan, Mexico ... he really gets around

Do Ken and Barbie take separate vacations these days? It would appear so, as Ken’s on the go with Expedia in a Super Bowl :30 running pre- and post-game domestically and during the SB60 telecast in Canada and Mexico.

Buck and BixPix Studio produced the animated spot. Director Drew Hodges delivers a colorful hop across the globe, with vivid animation and a jaunty style reminiscent of the blockbuster Barbie movie.

Though any vestige of Barbie mania feels so 2023, the spot succeeds at celebrating 65 years of the Ken character with its sunny soft-sell approach.

“Watching Ken navigate his first travel experience reinforces that our platform is built for travelers at any stage,” says Expedia EVP of brand marketing Natalie Wills. Jetting around with a beloved icon gives the pitch some cultural cachet, reinforcing the brand’s positioning as “the one place you go to go places … making it easy to bundle flights, hotels, vacation rentals and cars, helping travelers save on every trip.”

As part of the push Expedia will launch a $65,000 Ken-themed SB sweepstakes via Threads on Feb. 8. The brand will award $1,000 in its OneKeyCash rewards currency to 65 winners.