Common Ground is the flagship video series from Tripadvisor’s creative studio, Wanderlab, created to showcase how long-form video can foster human connection through travel.
In an era dominated by short-form content and polarized media, Tripadvisor identified an opportunity to build out long-form content to connect with audiences. YouTube was identified as the ideal launch platform given travel is one of its fastest-growing categories (+64% quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2025), with 66% of global viewers actively seeking long-form content — rising to 73% in the U.S. This audience trend indicated a strong appetite for immersive, conversation-led storytelling.
The Common Ground series pairs two public figures from completely different worlds in a shared destination for unscripted, agenda-free conversations about culture, food, and travel. Locations act as catalysts, not backdrops, revealing unexpected commonalities and fostering authentic dialogue.
Our goals were to:
Common Ground was designed to demonstrate that travel video can do more than inspire trips — it can spark empathy, cultural insight, and enduring audience connection.
From the outset, Common Ground was developed as a YouTube-first series, structured for 30-minute episodes the platform’s long-form “sweet spot,” which delivers 10–16 minute average watch times. This allowed space for vulnerability, humor, and authentic chemistry.
Challenges included differentiating in a crowded travel video landscape and maintaining authentic, unscripted storytelling while meeting brand objectives.
The format is simple and repeatable as one local host guides a guest from a contrasting background through meaningful locations tied to the host’s identity. Episodes are unscripted and focus on shared meals, cultural experiences, and hands-on activities, which act as natural bridges for conversation. Talent included Monica Galetti, Daisy May Cooper, Big Zuu, Professor Green, Jimmy Doherty, and Tilly Lockey. Pairings were deliberately unexpected, yet grounded in genuine curiosity, creating natural on-screen chemistry.
A defining creative choice was treating “location as character.” Destinations shape the emotional arc, revealing layers of the host’s story and acting as catalysts for connection. This approach differentiates the series from traditional travel shows and allows flexibility for destinations, partners, and experiences — from fine dining and city farms to art spaces and local community hubs.
To amplify the launch, Wanderlab hosted Common Ground: The Shoreditch Edition at the IAB Upfronts. The immersive event included:
Across three live Q&A sessions, senior leaders from Wanderlab, Adam Ochman and Ollie Presswell, alongside talent, discussed how travel fosters human connection. Ahead of the Upfronts, the team appeared on the IAB Upfronts Media Podcast to share insights about Common Ground, brand values, and the future of travel storytelling. By committing to long-form, conversation-first episodes and experiential extensions like Shoreditch, we successfully built both a visually rich and emotionally resonant series.
Common Ground has proven effective both creatively and commercially.
Pilot episodes reached over 1 million views on YouTube, validating long-form, conversation-led storytelling and audience demand. Average engagement aligns with YouTube’s long-form benchmarks, showing viewers watch full episodes rather than drop off early.
The Shoreditch launch event demonstrated the series’ experiential potential, allowing industry and audience members to interact with the brand and talent in immersive ways. The IAB Upfronts Media Podcast episode reached nearly 2,000 highly engaged listeners, while coverage across UK publications, including Clash, Mixtape Madness, and The Upcoming, reached over 293,000 readers, expanding the series’ visibility beyond traditional travel audiences.
Promotional cutdowns across Meta, Instagram, and TikTok drove traffic back to full episodes, amplifying reach while preserving long-form storytelling integrity.
Most importantly, Common Ground achieved its primary goal: demonstrating that a thoughtfully structured video series can drive both emotional resonance and scale. By pairing unlikely voices, using destination as a narrative driver, and committing to unscripted authenticity, the series positions Tripadvisor as a cultural storyteller, proving that travel video can do more than inspire trips — it can spark empathy, curiosity, and meaningful connection.
