He’s not just Ken, he’s now a travel influencer!
Expedia wasn’t toying around when they were looking for their next brand ambassador, partnering with Mattel’s Barbie brand’s beloved Ken doll. This year, he’ll be venturing away from his laidback California lifestyle in Malibu and setting out around the world on 65 adventures in celebration of his 65th anniversary. (Not his birthday, he’s far too young for retirement!)
The blond superstar will kick off his year-long celebration in the biggest way possible, with a Super Bowl commercial that will air both before and after the big Feb. 8 football game. In it, we’ll see Ken step away from the beach he’s known so well for more than six decades and immerse himself in international destinations in an ad called “Going Places with Ken.”
“Expedia quickly spotted Ken’s rising appeal and cast him for his big game debut,” Mattel’s Mahta Eghbali said in a statement. She emphasized that as a global icon, “Ken isn’t just relevant; he is premium talent with the presence, range, and reach to inspire fans across generations.”
Among his first travels will be Italy, Japan, and Mexico City, as he shows his fans and followers how easy it is to go beyond the comforts of his hometown for the first time as a newbie traveler. We see him pack his yellow hardside suitcase (he folds his clothes and doesn’t roll them), ride a plane in the aisle seat (perhaps he knows this aisle seat trick), and even speak Italian as he drives through the Italian countryside, figuring out which side of the road to be on.
Ken’s campaign will also include the launch of a new Expedia platform called The One Place You Go to Go Places, emphasizing how easy it is to book and manage all aspects of a trip on the site, especially by bundling flights, accommodations, and car rentals to save money.
The innovative stop-motion ads—produced by BucK and Bix Pix, along with Expedia and Mattel’s teams—were filmed shot-by-shot using old-school techniques dating from the 1890s to give them a throwback, but realistic appearance.
But, of course, traveling is no fun without friends, so Ken will also be sharing his journeys, starting on Super Bowl Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. with an interactive social media Q&A on Mattel’s Threads account which will engage with Expedia’s account. That day, Ken will also launch a contest in which 65 of his fans will win $1,000 in OneKeyCash for travel booked on Expedia.
Ken’s journeys will also be spotlighted on Instagram and TikTok on the accounts @Barbie, @Barbiestyle, and @Expedia.
With his 65th anniversary campaign truly being about Ken saying, “Hello New Beginnings,” the partnership marks the first step of a year of Ken-ventures in a way we’ve never seen before.
“Since his debut in 1961, Ken has proven his ability to captivate hearts while always remaining true to his fun, playful personality,” Mattel’s Nathan Baynard said in a statement. “Now, we’re proud to celebrate his 65th anniversary as a moment of reinvention as he steps into uncharted territory.”
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