Key Takeaways
- Priceline’s "Buzzer Beater" deals show how aligning campaigns with major cultural events like March Madness can drive engagement and sales.
- By addressing common barriers (cost and complexity) and offering exclusive discounts, Priceline is making travel more accessible.
Priceline is giving basketball fans and travel enthusiasts a reason to book their dream trips with the launch of its latest integrated campaign.
Just in time for the college basketball tournament season, the travel platform is rolling out "Buzzer Beater" deals, offering savings of up to 50% on game-day travel.
The campaign, featuring actress Kaley Cuoco, aims to shake travelers out of their "dreamscrolling" habits and encourage them to turn their bucket-list vacations into reality.
It debuts with a basketball-themed commercial featuring a fan lost in a dream of courtside action, only to be reminded by Cuoco that Priceline’s deals make attending the big game a real possibility.
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According to a 2024 study by American Express, more than half of millennial and Gen Z consumers fantasize about travel weekly but feel held back by cost and complexity.
Priceline’s extensive travel deals aim to remove these barriers, making spontaneous and planned trips more accessible.
In a statement exclusive to DesignRush, Lesley Klein, SVP of strategy and brand marketing at Priceline, highlights a common travel dilemma — people spend hours "dreamscrolling" trips they never actually take.
“Our new campaign taps into this insight and aims to change the behavior by inspiring travelers to stop dreaming and start doing with a great Priceline travel deal. We've created a distinctive pink cloud world that visualizes this 'daydream' state, while demonstrating how Priceline's deals can transform aspirations into actual experiences.
And, understanding that today's travelers are driven by their passions, like sports events and cultural experiences, we've strategically launched during March Madness with interactive elements including a first-ever bookable bracket with DraftKings and exclusive Buzzer Beater deals designed to get them to the games."
Central to the campaign are the "Buzzer Beater" deals providing exclusive discounts for fans traveling to the biggest college basketball games of the season.
The limited-time offers are available from March 25 to April 6:
- Top 16 Round: Save 10% on select hotels in
- Men’s Tournament: Newark, NJ & San Francisco, CA
- Women’s Tournament: Birmingham, AL & Spokane, WA
- Quarter-Finals: Save 15% on select hotels in
- Men’s Tournament: Atlanta, GA & Indianapolis, IN
- Women’s Tournament: Birmingham, AL & Spokane, WA
- Semi-Finals: Save $125 on select hotels in
- Men’s Tournament: San Antonio, TX
- Women’s Tournament: Tampa, FL
- Championships: Save $250 on select hotels in
- Men’s Tournament: San Antonio, TX
- Women’s Tournament: Tampa, FL
Additionally, starting March 1, Priceline will upgrade all customers with a .edu email address to VIP Gold status for the rest of 2025, unlocking further exclusive travel discounts for students and educators.
Priceline is also teaming up with DraftKings to bring a unique twist to the college basketball tournament experience.
The “Dream It, Book It Bracket” challenge allows fans to participate in a free-to-play tournament bracket with a chance to win a $50,000 cash prize.
The bracket will feature real Priceline hotel deals for each host city, encouraging participants to book their travel while competing for the grand prize.
The contest runs from March 16-20 on the DraftKings website and app.
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Priceline’s campaign will roll out across broadcast, digital, and social media, with heavy visibility on platforms like Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Direct TV, and Peacock.
Additional elements include influencer partnerships, podcast advertisements, and exclusive digital content designed to entertain and motivate travelers throughout the year.
Stop Dreaming, Start Traveling
Priceline’s 15-second commercial opens with a man fast asleep, dreaming of watching a live basketball game.
Suddenly, Cuoco appears inside a spinning basketball and asks, “Are you dreaming about the big game?”
“I’ve wanted to go since I was a kid,” the man replies — only to magically transform into his younger self.
Cuoco urges him to check out Priceline for the best deals, and in an instant, he vanishes, implying he’s woken up to book his trip.
“Travel safe, man… child,” Cuoco quips as the spot comes to a close.
Priceline is tapping into a core consumer behavior and turning it into action.
Many industries face similar gaps where customer intent doesn’t translate into conversions.
The key is removing perceived barriers and offering clear, actionable steps to move from interest to purchase.
For instance, to make travel easier, Nockta streamlined Passin Miami’s UX to highlight its all-in-one convenience.
