How Cleartrip channeled humorous billboards & interactive print ads to fight work stress

In an era where the relentless hustle is often glorified, Cleartrip has taken a bold step in challenging this mindset with their latest campaign, ‘Life Mat Jhelo, Bas Niklo’ (Don’t endure life, just escape). Launched alongside the Big Billion Days, India’s largest travel sale, the campaign addresses the toxic hustle culture, encouraging people to take breaks and prioritize self-care.

The campaign’s striking visuals, including thought-provoking billboards in Gurgaon’s Cyber Hub and engaging brand films, have sparked conversation nationwide. Cleartrip has also pushed creative boundaries with a foldable print ad in the Economic Times, transforming the newspaper into a metaphor for shedding stress. This innovative approach, along with a bold PSA message and a humorous twist on a familiar nursery rhyme, underscores Cleartrip’s belief that travel isn’t just a luxury – it’s essential for well-being.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Tavleen Bhatia, Chief Marketing Officer, Cleartrip, delves into the inspiration behind this campaign, the creative process, and how Cleartrip is effectively tackling the glorification of burnout. She also shares insights into Cleartrip’s OOH strategies beyond Gurugram, the significance of interactive print media in today’s digital world, and the surge in consumer demand for travel post-pandemic.

Cleartrip’s ‘Life Mat Jhelo, Bas Niklo’ campaign tackles the issue of toxic hustle culture. What inspired the brand to take on such a bold stance, and how do you see this resonating with your audience?

In the contemporary world, we are often caught up in the relentless hustle and bustle that life throws at us. Overworking and burnout have unfortunately become symbols of dedication and commitment. However, at Cleartrip, we believe that while it’s crucial to be diligent, it is equally important to know when to take a break and rejuvenate. This belief forms the crux of our latest campaign, “Life Mat Jhelo, Bas Niklo”. This is our way of reminding everyone that taking a vacation is the most effective way to recharge.

This campaign resonates with our audience on multiple levels. Firstly, it addresses a prevalent issue in today’s society – the glorification of overwork and burnout. It also promotes self-care and makes travel more accessible. It aligns with the wellness movement, acknowledges the struggles of the modern workforce, and offers practical solutions through the Big Billion Days sale, advocating for a healthier, happier lifestyle.

How is Cleartrip ensuring that the Big Billion Days sale delivers both value and experience, especially when combined with the “Life Mat Jhelo” message?

Cleartrip ensured that the Big Billion Days sale delivered both value and experience by offering massive discounts on domestic and international flights and hotels, thereby making travel accessible to all. This aligns perfectly with the “Life Mat Jhelo, Bas Niklo” campaign message, which encourages people to take a break from their stressful lives. The campaign is brought to life through brand films, humorous billboards, and an interactive print ad, all of which resonate with the audience’s need to escape from the hustle culture. The campaign not only offers value through discounts but also enhances the travel experience by promoting it as a much-needed break and a way to recharge and rejuvenate.

The billboards in Gurgaon’s Cyber Hub and brand films have sparked conversations. Could you share more about the creative process behind these, and how Cleartrip managed to tap into this social issue so effectively?

Cleartrip strategically planned and implemented a creative Out-Of-Home (OOH) campaign at Gurgaon’s Cyber Hub, one of India’s largest office spaces. Recognizing the space as a hub for professionals, we introduced a series of playful, PSA-style billboards designed in a humorous, Wiki-How illustration style. The intention was to encourage these professionals to resist the urge to tackle every work-related issue head-on and instead, embrace a break. The billboards conveyed relatable work scenarios such as dealing with a toxic boss or navigating office politics, thereby making the message more impactful. The underlying message was clear: take a vacation and recharge. This innovative approach helped us to effectively communicate our campaign message directly to our target audience in a space where they are most likely to feel the pressures of their work-life.

Additionally, apart from Gurugram, how is Cleartrip utilising OOH advertising in other cities to boost brand visibility, and what innovative strategies are you employing to stand out in the cluttered outdoor advertising space?

OOH is not a particular focus, our intent is to use traditional media in its most innovative manner, be that print or OOH to stand out from the clutter.

The foldable print ad in The Economic Times is quite innovative. How did the idea come about, and what’s the significance of using print as an interactive medium in today’s digital age? Also, how has the consumer response been so far?

The idea came about as a metaphor for actually not stressing and escaping to a vacation.

The ad was designed not just as a conventional advertisement, but as an interactive experience for the readers. The top half of the half-page ad was designed to fold into a paper plane, symbolising the idea of taking off on a vacation. To add a touch of humour and relatability, the folding instructions were presented as a parody of the popular nursery rhyme, “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” reimagined as “If Life is Crappy and You Know It.” This playful element was intended to reinforce the campaign message: fold away your stress and embark on that much-needed trip. To further enhance the interactive experience, a QR code was incorporated into the ad, which linked to a video that brought the concept to life for the consumers. This innovative approach allowed Cleartrip to communicate its campaign message in a fun, engaging, and memorable way.

Consumer response has been phenomenal on social media, it has reflected in the spike we’ve seen during our BBD sale.

How do you think the “Life Mat Jhelo” message aligns with the current travel trends post-COVID, where more people are prioritising work-life balance and wellness travel?

The “Life Mat Jhelo” message aligns perfectly with the current post-COVID travel trends where people are increasingly prioritising work-life balance and wellness travel. The pandemic has made people realise the importance of taking a break from the constant hustle and focusing on their mental and physical well-being. This is exactly what the “Life Mat Jhelo” campaign promotes – the idea of taking a vacation as a means to recharge and rejuvenate.

Are there plans to expand the reach of the campaign beyond OOH in Gurgaon and The Economic Times? How do you envision Cleartrip’s marketing strategy growing to reinforce this advocacy across India?

As a digital first company digital will always remain the backbone. We’ve already released films that have had a very good response. Our intent is to always evoke emotion beyond just offers on travel.

With the festive season in full swing, how is Cleartrip leveraging this period to engage with consumers through your campaign, and what special offers or strategies are you using to tap into the heightened travel demand during this time?

Cleartrip is leveraging this period to engage with consumers through our “Life Mat Jhelo” campaign by offering a plethora of special deals and discounts to cater to the heightened travel demand. Recognizing the need for people to break away from the hustle and rejuvenate, we have curated a range of offers that make travel more affordable and accessible.

We are offering 5-star hotels starting from Rs 2,499 and a minimum of 40% off on hotels during our daily flash sale. For those looking to travel internationally, we have fares starting at Rs 5,999 and special fares from major airlines for long-haul destinations. Domestic travels are also encouraged with fares starting as low as Rs 999.

For families, we have the ‘Child flies free’ offer during our flash sale, making family vacations more affordable. We also have international holiday packages starting at Rs 9,999 per person for popular destinations like Bali, Dubai, Maldives, and Thailand.

To cater to all kinds of travellers, we are also offering up to 30% off on bus bookings. Additionally, we have partnered with Flipkart and Myntra, offering their users additional discounts on hotels, flight cancellations at Re 1, and the ability to redeem extra discounts with Supercoins.

These strategies and offers are not just aimed at tapping into the heightened travel demand, but also align with our campaign message of taking a break from the daily grind and recharging through travel.

As travel demand picks up post-pandemic, are you noticing an increase in consumer propensity to spend, or are travellers more cautious and budget-conscious in their choices?

Cleartrip’s data indicates that families have been travelling internationally, with a growth rate of 102%. Budget travellers have also shown a significant increase (84%) and are the second most prominent cohort (YoY growth is from 2022 to 2023). This indicates a considerable number of customers still prioritise cost-effective options.

However, there has been an upswing in luxury travel, with many opting for stays in luxury hotels and resorts, drawn by their comprehensive amenities and superior customer service. This ties in with the increase in outbound travel, as more and more people are willing to splurge on international destinations, even though inbound travel remains relatively low.