Virgin Atlantic turned TripAdvisor reviews into 360-degree tours of two cities

The winning entry of the 2016 TripAdvisor Creative Challenge had to combine Virgin Atlantic's brand attitude — 'Life doesn't come to you, so go to it' — with TripAdvisor's traveller insight, for an airline pushing digital and social activity aimed at adventurous, impulsive spirits after the May 2016 'One Day' campaign.

Real TripAdvisor reviews, narrated over 360-degree third-person POV film with spatial sound, become guided tours of Miami and San Francisco hotspots.

'The Ultimate Trip from The Ultimate Reviewer' launched on the TripAdvisor website, bringing to life reviews from some of the UK's most prolific reviewers. Set in San Francisco and Miami, it tours three hotspots per city — jet skiing along Miami beach, passing under the Golden Gate Bridge — shot in third-person point-of-view with spatial sound. Media by PHD, post by REWIND.

Winner of the 2016 TripAdvisor Creative Challenge, with many elements described by Virgin Atlantic's VP marketing as media firsts for the TripAdvisor site.

Virgin Atlantic collaborated with TripAdvisor on 'The Ultimate Trip from The Ultimate Reviewer' by adam&eveDDB, an online campaign launching on the TripAdvisor website. It won the 2016 TripAdvisor Creative Challenge, which invited brands to showcase creativity through interactive online display advertising.

Using 360-degree immersive film with spatial sound, the campaign brought to life TripAdvisor reviews from some of the UK's most prolific reviewers. Set in San Francisco and Miami, it took audiences on a tour of three hotspots in each city — jet skiing along Miami beach, passing under the Golden Gate Bridge — narrated by the reviewers' own recommendations and shot in third-person point-of-view.

'We wanted to make the most of today's fast moving technology to deliver a truly interactive and engaging experience both visually and aurally, putting people and their experiences at the heart of the idea,' said Hamish Rickman, VP marketing at Virgin Atlantic, adding that the campaign gave consumers 'a flavour of what was possible beyond their Virgin Atlantic flight.'

The reviews do the persuading: real travelers' words are the most credible possible narration for a destination.

Third-person 360-degree POV turns an ad into a preview — the viewer rides along as a body in the destination, not a spectator.

Publishing inside TripAdvisor put the ad exactly where the impulsive traveler is already planning their next trip.

Let the customer's own words write the script: reviews people already trust become the narration for the trip you're selling.