Did Priceline's New Super Bowl Ad Kill the 'Negotiator'?

by Gabe Zaldivar
Last updated: 4:30 PM ET, Mon February 1, 2016

Photo via YouTube

Getting the big news out of the way early, Priceline is ditching its "Priceline Negotiator" motto. Separately, it will do its best to make sure you never hook up with your cousin.

More on the latter later.

First, we have some exciting news as pertains to Priceline and how it is positioning itself for the immediate future.

Via a press release, the popular travel website states: "Today's modern traveler takes shorter and more frequent trips, according to priceline.com data, and the company's new strategy will help customers connect with deals faster and more easily than before."

Essentially, you can say goodbye to "Priceline Negotiator," a catchy jingle that you undoubtedly read in the tone that has become iconic thanks to its commercials.

Stepping up to the void is "Whatever's On The Line, Priceline." The thought, as we presume, is that the sentiment of a negotiator working behind the scenes to secure the best deal is gone.

We assume the thought is more akin to a company boasting that it already has the best deals, so forget the rigmarole of negotiating-at least that's how we see it.

Now you might be wondering what happens with William Shatner. Thankfully, Captain Kirk will still be in tow, lending his voice to comedic commercials.

In fact, Priceline unveiled the following Super Bowl commercial, which it states will premiere on television "during the pre-game show at Super Bowl 50."

It's called cousins, and it's about how to prevent a kissing cousins scenario.

Remind us to never skip the family reunion.

Priceline has a number of "Whatever's on the Line" ads on its YouTube channel, including this one that illustrates the worst-case scenario in International adoption:

Or there is this commercial that illustrates all the ways Priceline protects your dear ol' grandmother:

Paul Hennessy, Priceline.com's chief executive officer, expounded on a truth Priceline discovered. More travelers are taking "shorter and more frequent trips."

Hennessy states: "We took a hard look at today's behavioral trends and they reveal travel's core truth: travelers take more trips to visit family in places like Rome, Georgia than trips of a lifetime to places like Rome, Italy. A drastically improved product initiative and an expansive increase in available properties, followed by a complete site and app refresh, has put our hotel, rental car and air partners' content in the spotlight so that no matter what kind of trip you need to take, we've put it on the line for you."

On the marketing switch, Brett Keller, chief operating officer at priceline.com, echoed the sentiment: "The modern traveler is taking more last-minute, short duration, and frequent trips for work or pleasure, and we bring them deals, availability and easy-to-use platforms whatever the budget."

Keller continued on the marketing switch: "When we were building our new advertising campaign with BBDO, we wanted to communicate that every trip mattered and that priceline.com had the deals - because for every trip, there's something on the line: love, money, career, family, or sports. We also insisted the campaign be as funny as Shatner... and they nailed it."

So Priceline is, to a great extent, the same exact website and app you have come to use. However, it's now highlighting its service for a travel base that is increasingly eager to travel even if it's for a quick jaunt a couple hundred miles away.

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