How Booking.com engaged travelers with custom The Rings of Power and The Idea of You Prime Video campaigns

Last year, Booking.com wanted to shift customer perception to be seen as a top destination for all types of accommodations. At the time, the brand had observed the trend of audiences booking vacations inspired by the shows and movies they love.

“‘Set-jetting’—or travel inspired by movies and shows—has become a huge part of how people plan trips today. We know that one in five travelers globally get their travel ideas from entertainment, so it made perfect sense to lean into that,” says Jenn Grieger, the Senior Manager of Marketing for brand media at Booking.com. “Whether it's dreamy villas, iconic cities, or off-the-beaten-path destinations, Booking.com wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to turn their favorite scenes into real travel experiences.”

By connecting with audiences through premium content, Booking.com wanted to showcase the power of their search filters and breadth of accommodations they offer while connecting to the brand's "Book whoever you want to be" campaign, which invites people to see travel as a reflection of their identity.

Booking.com identified Prime Video as an ideal place to reach millions of audiences alongside the content they love.

“At Booking.com, we’re always looking for new ways to inspire travelers and show up authentically where they’re already engaged. Prime Video was perfect for us because it’s where millions of people are immersed in stories that spark their imagination—including where they want to go next,” Grieger says. “Our goal was to tap into that mindset and make the leap from screen to real-life travel feel seamless. Prime Video offered the scale, the cultural relevance, and the premium storytelling environment to do exactly that.”

To roll out the concept, Brand Innovation Lab and Booking.com launched phase one of the “Travel the Screen” campaign alongside the Amazon Original movie The Idea of You. The first-of-its-kind interactive experience lets users follow 40-year-old Solène Marchand, played by Anne Hathaway, as she embarks on her transformative journey post-divorce when she falls for the lead singer of the biggest boy band on the planet, taking her on a whirlwind tour from Coachella to the Côte d'Azur. Each city on the tour spotlights a different Booking.com accommodation inspired by scenes from the movie.

Between May 2 and June 10, the campaign reached 22.3 million unique users and drove positive brand impact for Booking.com. Booking.com saw an 10% increase in aided brand awareness and an 9% increase in brand opinion. ¹

Given the success of The Idea of You launch, Booking.com and the Brand Innovation Lab expanded the concept for the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The Streaming TV ad features a memorable clip from the new season of The Rings of Power transfixing two travelers who used Booking.com to book a Middle-earth inspired accommodation to celebrate the return of the show. In the spot, fantastical and show-inspired Booking.com search filters nod to the special amenities The Rings of Power super fans would be looking for to immerse themselves in their favorite show like "Middle-earth cottage" and "Orc-ganic garden".

Booking.com’s co-branded video was attached to all episodes of season two of The Rings of Power and ran across Prime Video ads.

“We collaborated closely with Amazon Ads and Prime Video to create custom creative that felt like an extension of the content, not just an ad break,” Grieger says. “Our brand came through in a way that enhanced the story, helped fans go deeper, and made travel feel accessible and exciting. It’s not enough to just show up; we need to offer something meaningful. Interactive campaigns like this one invite audiences to explore, dream, and plan.”

By weaving their campaign into the premium content on Prime Video, Booking.com was able to engage consumers in creative ways that go beyond traditional video advertising.

According to the 2024 From Ads to Zeitgeist research from Amazon Ads, 62% of consumers surveyed believe that advertising should enable creative interactions. Meanwhile, 73% of global survey respondents said they appreciate advertising that entertains them.

“‘Travel the Screen’ was all about meeting people in the moment of inspiration—but doing it in a way that was interactive, entertaining, and full of discovery,” Grieger says. “When ads entertain, people lean in instead of tuning out. It builds affinity, boosts brand perception, and gives them something to remember—and that’s when advertising really works.”

Combining the magic of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the adventure of Booking.com helped inspire audiences.

“The fan response was so rewarding. People loved how the campaign brought travel to life through the lens of their favorite story,” Grieger says.

After the conclusion of the campaign in October 2024, customers perceived Booking.com as a brand that offers personalized travel solutions that help users find the perfect getaway. According to a brand lift study, 73% were more likely to use Booking.com and 75% had a more favorable opinion on Booking.com as a result of the campaign. Booking.com saw an 8% increase in aided brand awareness and an 11% increase in brand opinion. ²

“The results were incredible. Viewers were significantly more likely to associate Booking.com with flexibility and seamless experiences. And the creative outperformed category benchmarks across every format. It delivered on performance, brand equity, and long-term business value,” Grieger says. “For a travel brand like Booking.com, it’s the perfect place to spark that “I want to go there” feeling. Prime Video gives us access to massive, engaged audiences who are already leaning in—and when we can connect with them in a way that feels relevant and entertaining, we become part of the cultural conversation. That’s incredibly powerful for brand building.”

And this is just the beginning for Booking.com. Grieger says the brand will continue experimenting with creative formats and storytelling that helps them connect with travelers in new ways.

“We’ll continue looking for those perfect content partnerships where the travel story is already baked in, and where we can deliver value through authentic, beautifully executed campaigns,” Grieger says. “Streaming is such a rich, dynamic space—and we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.”