AI-empowered creative testing meets travel marketing innovation with the launch of TikTok's new dynamic Travel Ads
How do you stand out in a travel market driven by price and spontaneity? For SunExpress, they found the answer in an innovative new ad format.
As a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines servicing leisure destinations across Europe, SunExpress aimed to elevate its brand and deliver measurable business results. With the launch of TikTok's new dynamic Travel Ads, SunExpress and its media agency TERRITORY MEDIA seized the chance to become the first brand in Europe to test this new ad format for the travel industry.
The campaign was designed with a clear focus: to build brand awareness among mobile-first, travel-curious audiences while driving ticket sales using a personalized ad strategy.
The overall campaign was powered by TikTok's Travel Ads which uses AI-driven tools to automate bidding and audience targeting, optimize ad delivery toward top-performing creatives, and efficiently allocate budget to maximize conversions.
By leveraging feed-based Travel Ads, SunExpress & TERRITORY MEDIA were able to identify high-intent travel users and deliver personalized offers directly from their feed—driving stronger engagement and improved performance.
To identify what resonated best with their target audience, the airline tested six unique video creatives featuring a range of visuals—from scenic destinations and airport shots to app interface footage. Each asset was designed to inspire while including a clear call to action through the Travel Ads product card, which displayed dynamic destinations depending on the user intent.
The use of Travel Ads delivered breakthrough results in relation to both cost-efficiency and engagement metrics. CPMs ranged between €1.11 and €1.91, reflecting well-optimized budget allocation. With an impressive average ROAS of 11.6, the campaign demonstrated clear conversion strength.
All video assets met or exceeded industry benchmarks, each achieving a 100% video view-through rate. This level of engagement underscored the campaign's compelling storytelling and audience connection.
It is these types of results that reinforce TikTok's dual value not only as a platform for upper-funnel brand awareness but also as a high-performing channel for lower-funnel conversions.
As the first European airline to launch dynamic Travel Ads on TikTok, SunExpress and TERRITORY MEDIA have set a new standard for travel marketing innovation while establishing TikTok as a cornerstone of its media strategy.
We’ve unlocked the full potential of TikTok - not just as an awareness driver, but increasingly as a powerful brandformance channel with TERRITORY MEDIA by our side. Being the first European airline to launch dynamic Travel Ads was a bold move - and the results speak for themselves