Expedia Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of Expedia, broadened its display ad unit offering this week to include rich media units called StorePoint Expandables.
This is Expedia’s third release of ad unit offerings since 2008, when the e-commerce company began to grow its business model to include display advertising. Other Expedia media units include PassportAds, a behavioral advertising product that launched in February 2009, and TravelAds, a bid-for-placement ad network that was introduced last year. All of these units include media on Expedia.com and Hotels.com.
“This is similar to a bricks-and-mortar store using end-aisle displays to cross-promote their partners’ products,” said Doug Miller, global VP of Expedia Media Solutions. “We are the most-visited travel site, and our consumers come to our site looking for travel, so it is a great way for our partners to get their messages in front of an engaged audience.”
The San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau recently tested the StorePoint Expandables units and ran a beta campaign using them on the Expedia site. The tourism group saw a 19% increase in room nights booked in San Diego the first month of the campaign and a 45% increase during its second month, according to an Expedia statement.
