AAdvantage lauds “adventures at home” in new TV spot

The new ad for Citi AAdvantage celebrates creative at-home experiences, and incorporates Mastercard’s new sonic branding. While other travel cards have promoted “earn now travel later,” AAdvantage is the first to do so in mass media. 

In mass media channels, the new branding from AAdvantage is all in on adjusted benefits for travel. While issuers, notably Chase and American Express, have promoted adjusted benefits to cardholders in email, social media, and direct mail, this is the first travel card to promote “earn now for travel later” in mass media.

This large investment both signals the unfortunate near-term permanency of the pandemic, and early signs that credit card acquisition may be on the rise based on top-of-funnel marketing strategy. 

The spot shows family and friends making the most of social distancing through creative experiences.  

The new spot premiered during Quick Pitch on MLB Network, a popular highlights program.    

AAdvantage also ran full page spreads in the New York Times, perfectly timed with the spot’s premiere.   

What we think

AAdvantage signals at-home benefits are here to stay, regardless of card category. 

While issuers did a lot in the first half of 2020 to innovate and market adjusted benefits for travel and entertainment products, most of this communication was limited to direct marketing. Citi AAdvantage Mastercard spent significantly to recraft creative and flight media in national television and print. We predict this campaign will trickle down the funnel into online video, display, and direct mail before the year is out. This new campaign demands marketers consider how to adjust their overarching creative strategies for the longer term, beyond any one-off communications to cardholders.