Amid all of the volatility of year two of the pandemic, travel stood out as an activity both coveted and confusing. After our “Every Step of the Way” campaign, which softly reminded Card Members that Amex was here whenever they were ready, the brief for our second half of 2022 campaign centered around three objectives:

-Resonate with Card Members at varying levels of travel comfortability

-Unify American Express Travel communications and rally teams globally

-Use our voice to inspire the industry

Additionally, we were tasked with ensuring that the campaign could remain consistent in Q3, Q4, and potentially beyond, weathering whatever situational stops and starts emerged in the travel landscape.

“Begin Again” was a messaging-driven campaign which used a fill-in-the-blank device to meet consumers with headlines that reminded them of the magic of travel. By pairing emotional headlines with lifestyle imagery that showcased small moments of human connection, we gave Card Members permission to dream, plan, and even go if they were ready to do so. Our creative strategy strongly influenced the guidelines we created regarding headline “Begin again” phrases (focusing on connecting and experiencing), imagery (focusing on emotional lifestyle imagery and property shots without people), and supporting claims. In order to maintain a balance of speaking to everyone, whatever their timeline, we recommended that when promoting booking-related actions or offers, “planning” language was utilized. Additionally, across the board, we sought to position American Express Travel as a supportive resource, there to make travel better and more rewarding.