"Fargo" Wins Grand Prize for Icy Take on the TripAdvisor "Don't Just Visit" Ads

TripAdvisor Launches New TV Ad Contest Offering Travelers and Filmmakers Another Chance to Win $25,000 and Their Commercial on TV

NEWTON, Mass., Oct. 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TripAdvisor^®, the world's largest travel site*, today announced the winners of the TripAdvisor TV Ad Contest, its first-ever user-generated ad contest. TripAdvisor launched the month-long contest on August 1 and received hundreds of entries from the TripAdvisor community in the U.S., France and Australia where the TripAdvisor "Don't Just Visit" ads initially aired. The success of engaging the community to create quality submissions and share their take on the current campaign has spurred TripAdvisor to launch the second iteration of the contest in these three countries.

"We have been thrilled with the success of TripAdvisor's first-ever TV Ad Contest. Our community took the challenge and delivered fun and creative ways to show that TripAdvisor is the difference-maker for having a great trip," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "We were so impressed with our first contest that we're now kicking off a new TV Ad Contest, encouraging members of the TripAdvisor community in the U.S., France and Australia to put their creative hats on, get out their cameras and enter the contest."

The winners of the original contest are Denver-based filmmaker and TripAdvisor user Jason Graisa and his creative partner Curt Donohue for their "Fargo" submission. They will share the grand prize of $25,000 and their ad will air on U.S. national cable television for two weeks beginning on Oct. 20. TripAdvisor also recognized and surprised five runner-up winners making the decision to award a prize of $10,000 and also run their ads on TV in their local countries.

"I'm thrilled our 'Fargo' submission won the grand prize - it's one of the first films we produced after starting our production company," said Jason Graisa, winner of the TripAdvisor TV Ad Contest. "It's great that TripAdvisor tapped into the creativity of its members, and it will be amazing to see our commercial on TV just like the other TripAdvisor 'Don't Just Visit' ads. I'm planning a trip someplace tropical with the money we've won."

TripAdvisor TV Ad Contest Runner-Up Winners:

• Melody Beam (Calif., USA) - Entry: "Little Girl"
• Oscar Lopez (Fla., USA) - Entry: "Pet Friendly"
• Carolyn Duchene (South Australia, Australia) - Entry: "Don't Just Visit Sydney, Claymation"
• Scott Wood (New South Wales, Australia) - Entry: "Sydney"
• Christopher Osmont (Marly Le Roi, France) - Entry: "Paris et sa Viennoiserie"

The TripAdvisor "Don't Just Visit" ads, which launched in May and were the basis for the first TripAdvisor TV Ad Contest, showcase the benefits of using TripAdvisor for travel planning and what can go wrong when the site is not used. As a user-generated travel site, it is a natural extension for TripAdvisor to engage its community - allowing travelers to share their own experiences through personal versions of the ads.

Winning videos from the contest and examples of the original "Don't Just Visit" commercials can be found at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TripNews-a_ctr.TVContestUS.

TripAdvisor Launches New TV Ad Contest

The second user-generated TV Ad Contest launching today has a broadened set of criteria to give entrants more freedom when creating an ad. Everyone from video amateurs to filmmakers is encouraged to submit a short video between Oct. 16 and Nov. 13 showcasing the benefits of using TripAdvisor and the challenges travelers face when they do not, but entrants will no longer be required to follow the same template as TripAdvisor "Don't Just Visit" ads.

As before, the contest winner will earn a grand prize of $25,000 and a chance to see their ad air on television. TripAdvisor will also award five runner-up prizes with the winning videos shared on TripAdvisor social media channels.

To learn more about the new contest or to submit an entry, please visit: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TripNews-a_ctr.WinterTVContestUS.

About TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor^® is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching nearly 280 million unique monthly visitors**, and more than 170 million reviews and opinions covering more than 4 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 45 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRIP) manages and operates websites under 24 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.lafourchette.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.virtualtourist.com, and www.kuxun.cn.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, Q1 2014

**Source: Google Analytics, average monthly unique users, Q2 2014; does not include traffic to daodao.com

CONTACT: Julie Cassetina

         (617) 670-6529

         jcassetina@tripadvisor.com