This could be a mediocre ad. But it’s actually a bad ad. Because the copywriter who worked on it very obviously had the Avis “We Try Harder” ad — one of the most brilliant pieces of copy ever written — in the back of his/her mind. And the copy can’t even touch Avis. I’d be willing to bet some big shot at Holiday Inn said to the creative team, “do something like that Avis ad from a few years back.” That”s usually how bad ads begin.

Here’s the iconic Avis ad for comparison:

FUN FACT: Holiday Inn was actually ahead of its time in terms of content marketing; in the 1970’s it published its own monthly magazine featuring stories about travel destinations. (Source: Wikipedia)