Marketing Campaign of the Year
Travelocity
The Roaming Gnome
THE LIFE OF THE ROAMING GNOME
December 2003
My adventures first began when I was stolen from the garden of Bill, my owner. I’m told that this gnome-napping practice is a common prank which started in Europe and then caught on here in these United States. I was taken on an exciting ski trip booked through Travelocity, which, by the way is not a city. It’s a wonderful web site.
January 2004
I made my television debut when a reporter covered my disappearance and subsequent ski trip. This was viewed by millions during a colossal sporting event called The Bowl of Roses or The Rose Bowl…something like that.
February 2004
I began to get talked about in national newspapers - The New York Times, USA Today and The WSJ. That’s shop talk for Wall Street Journal.
March 2004
I got a wee little cameo, which is smaller and more discreet than a regular cameo, on the popular TV show “Will and Grace.” John Cleese stole my thunder during that episode.
May 2004
Yo! I saluted the city that never sleeps, New York, from a giant wall projection in honor of Travelocity being voted the #1 Travel Site for 6 years straight.
September 2004
I was taken by the Chief Marketing Officer of Travelocity, Jeff Glueck, on his vacation, which happened to be a glorious Alaskan cruise. I was gob-smacked by this gesture of friendship.
October 2004
My likeness became the polybag wrapping for the Wall Street Journal. The clear bag could be blown up to become a pocket size version of Yours Truly. That way, people could take me along on their travels. Many did, even sending in their photos.
January 2005
My debut as “The Denouncer of Travel Myths” in television commercials. I denounced myths about travel like the preposterous notion that all travel sites are the same. Cods wallop! And the one about gnomes being horrible tour guides. Poppycock!
March 2005
I made my debut on the Emmy award-winning reality show The Amazing Race. I not only appeared during the commercial breaks but was also written into the show as part of the race around the world and eventual awarding of Extremely Stupendous Prizes.
April 2005
I appeared on cable cars in San Francisco. Did you know that people in San Fran hate it if you call their city San Fran? San Fran San Fran San Fran.
May 2005
I became part of an event called Station Domination in which Travelocity took over the famous Union Station in Toronto.
May 2005
Travelocity released a brilliant Guarantee so customers know they’ll never roam alone. I took it upon myself to be “The Enforcer of the Travelocity Guarantee.” I got to wear a cape. I tried flying. I hurt myself. I decided Travelocity didn’t need me to enforce anything but did not give back the cape. My cape, mine.
June 2005
Travelocity won a bodacious honor for advertising effectiveness called – you guessed it – an Effie! Gold and Silver, no less. The awards are very heavy and I threw my back out.
September 2005
I was asked to be in the Advertising Week Parade of the Ad Icons down Madison Avenue alongside icons much older than Moi, including that giant green chap who likes frozen spinach.
December 2005
Thousands helped me usher in the New Year in Times Square by donning my signature pointy red hat…and nothing else! Crikey. People ran around naked and watched the ball drop. So to speak.
January 2006
Went to South Africa to film another commercial. The waters here are known for sharks. Luckily, sharks like something called chum and I am made of cement.
April 2006 TBD
I joined the Fab Five on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. A splendid trophy of me was created especially for the event. The five fellows autographed my bottom…my base…the thing on which I stand. Then this was auctioned off on eBay to the tune of $600. This amount, along with another 10 grand from Travelocity was donated to the victims of Katrina.
June 2006
Travelocity won another of those heavy Effie awards and once again I threw my back out.
August 2006
Caught on camera waiting to audition for American Idol. I did a soulful rendition of God Save the Queen.
Also went to France to see if they still excell at wine making. After tasting and sampling and tasting and sampling I seem to remember I liked it.
September 2006
I returned to the Advertising Week Parade of the Ad Icons and was nominated for the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame. My word, it’s good to be Gnome.
A Mencia mention for Travelocity! The comedian Carlos Mencia worked Travelocity’s name into a joke on his Comedy Central show.
October 2006
Craziness! I appeared in another Denouncer of Travel Myths commercial. I also decided to take a vacation and a rather rotund man filled in for me. He’s a substitute, like that substitute you had in school when your homeroom teacher got a cold.
Meanwhile, they named me Unofficial Grandmaster of the celebrated Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village, New York. I rocked out with the band KISS.
November 2006
A plucky reporter from a station called WTR5 picked up on the replacement fellow and started a blog thingie called GnomeWatch.com. Theories abound about where I’ve gone. I am sighted all over. People plead for my return.
Unrelated to this, but equally wonderful, the classic game show Jeopardy has as one of its featured items “Website that has a gnome as its icon.” I’m told the contestant responded correctly. Bloody marvelous.
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