Expedia partners with Mattel for Ken-led campaign

Travel shop Expedia has partnered with Mattel, the global toy and family entertainment company, to feature Ken as the central character in its Super Bowl LX advertising, placing the long-standing character at the center of a year-long brand collaboration.

The campaign’s anchor is a Super Bowl spot titled Going Places with Ken, which will run in pre- and post-game placements in the U.S., alongside a 30-second in-game spot in Canada and a 20-second in-game execution in Mexico. The film presents Ken traveling to destinations including Italy, Japan, and Mexico City, using the character’s first-time traveler experience to illustrate how Expedia bundles flights, hotels, vacation rentals, and cars.

Ken steps into travel storytelling

The collaboration coincides with the 65th anniversary of the Ken brand and establishes the character as an Expedia Brand Ambassador. Within the campaign narrative, Ken represents travelers discovering how bundled booking can simplify planning and reduce costs across different trip components.

Mahta Eghbali, Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Partnerships, Mattel: “Expedia quickly spotted Ken’s rising appeal and cast him for his big game debut. This year-long partnership makes a clear statement: Ken isn’t just relevant; he is premium talent with the presence, range, and reach to inspire fans across generations. Expedia’s brand spot captures his charm and shows the world Ken is going places.”

Launching a broader brand platform

The Super Bowl execution also introduces Expedia’s brand platform, The One Place You Go to Go Places, positioning the company as a single destination for planning, booking, and managing travel. The platform is set to roll out across multiple markets, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, through additional films under the theme Going Places with Expedia.

The approach frames partnerships such as Ken as a way to express the platform’s core message while maintaining consistency across different formats and regions.

Natalie Wills, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing and Creative, Expedia: “As the one place you go to go places, Expedia makes it easy to bundle flights, hotels, vacation rentals, and cars, helping travelers save on every trip. Watching Ken navigate his first travel experience reinforces that our platform is built for travelers at any stage. Ken’s Super Bowl debut marks a bold step as we launch our creative platform.”

Craft-led production approach

The film was produced by BUCK in collaboration with stop-motion studio Bix Pix and developed with Expedia and Mattel’s in-house creative teams. Production took place in Los Angeles using physical sets, real Ken dolls, and handcrafted props, with each frame captured through stop-motion photography.

The technique reflects traditional production methods dating back to the late nineteenth century, aligning the execution with the physical form of the Ken character rather than relying on digital animation.

Social extensions and fan engagement

Beyond the broadcast campaign, Expedia and Ken are extending the partnership across social platforms. Activities include an interactive Q&A on Threads focused on travel planning and inspiration, alongside a Ken-themed sweepstakes launching on February 8.

The sweepstakes will award 65 prizes of 1,000 dollars in OneKeyCash to support future travel. Ken will also engage directly with users through Expedia’s and Mattel’s Threads accounts, responding to questions and sharing destination ideas. Ongoing content will appear across Instagram and TikTok via @Barbie, @Barbiestyle, and @Expedia, following Ken’s travels to locations featured in the campaign.

www.mattel.com

www.expedia.com

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