Create awareness and drive donations for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and align Expedia with technology partners to garner recognition as a travel technology company.
Travel is a powerful thing. Expedia believes travel has the power to transform us and the world around us, and according to recent studies, it even has the power to improve our health. That's why, since 1996, it's been Expedia's mission to create innovative technology that removes barriers to booking—so more people can tap into the power of travel.
Problem: Unfortunately, one group who needs travel most can't tap into its power: the cancer-stricken kids at St.Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Idea: The kids fighting cancer at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital can't travel the world, so Expedia used technology brought the world to them.
We sent four Expedia employees, equipped with 360o cameras and live-streaming technology, out into the world to capture the dream adventures of four special kids at St. Jude.
It was important we make this travel experience truly immersive for the kids, so they felt transported from their hospital rooms. We projected live 360o footage on the walls, floor and ceiling so each patient was completely surrounded by beautiful imagery and fully enveloped in their dream experience. The installation at the hospital "transported" the children to Cordoba and Talampaya Park in Argentina, Monkey Jungle in Florida and the Great Maya Reef in Mexico. In it, they experienced the locations' natural wonders -- from fossils to colorful sea-life to wily monkeys -- in real time. Expedia employees whose own lives had been affected by serious illnesses were on location as personal tour guides to show the kids the sites.
Expedia Dream Adventures were immersive, 360° experiences that transported four brave patients from the hospital in Memphis to trips of their dreams thousands of miles away. Expedia employees, armed with 360° cameras, set out on adventures around the globe, and streamed their travel experiences back in real-time onto the walls of the hospital room using projection mapping.
Through this innovative approach, Expedia delivered truly immersive travel experiences to each patient, enabling them to explore freely, interact with their Expedia guide in real-time and lose themselves in the healing power of travel.
This was the first time 360o filming, projection mapping and live streaming technology were used together and through this tech first, Expedia was able to bring a truly immersive travel experience to kids of St. Jude.
ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, has awarded Expedia.com the "Spirit of St. Jude Award for Innovation" honor. Every year the ALSAC/St. Jude Boards of Directors and Governors honors outstanding volunteers, donors, organizations and corporate partners from across the country for their support and commitment to the lifesaving mission of St. Jude.
Expedia is also continuing to leverage the campaign to encourage customers to donate their Expedia+ points directly to the hospital. Expedia+ rewards program confers points to travelers based on each flight, hotel, car or activity they book across Expedia. Typically, Expedia+ points can be redeemed for travel. Now, Expedia+ points can be converted to a monetary value.
