Setting sail
For hospitality and travel marketers, understanding which marketing efforts lead to actual bookings can be a tidal shift. Windstar Cruises—renowned for its intimate yachts and off-the-beaten-path itineraries—wanted data-driven visibility into how digital media placements translated into confirmed reservations. Windstar turned to the strategic media expertise of MMGY, a leading integrated marketing company dedicated to the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries and Experian’s marketing data and identity solutions to bridge this gap. Together, they developed a closed-loop attribution system that directly tied digital campaigns to offline passenger bookings.
The challenge: Blind spots in the booking journey
Windstar Cruises had plenty of top-of-funnel metrics—impressions, clicks, website sessions, cruise quote requests—but struggled to connect these indicators to confirmed reservations. Without that link, it wasn’t easy to pinpoint which audience segments were most valuable in their marketing campaigns or accurately measure return on ad spend (ROAS). Traditional attribution methods and limited booking system data painted an incomplete picture, leaving Windstar to wonder which media channels and audience strategies were truly driving revenue.
MMGY and Experian: Bridging data gaps to power attribution
Comprehensive pixel tag
MMGY designed an online-offline measurement strategy and coordinated with Experian to deploy pixels across Windstar’s digital media placements. These pixels captured valuable event-level data—ad exposures, clicks, site visits, and more—so that every interaction could be matched back to a future booking if it occurred.
Identity resolution and data enrichment
Using the Experian identity graph, Experian matched Windstar’s reservation data with its extensive consumer database. This approach provided a precise, individual-level view of how digital interactions translated into real-world sales. By combining pixel data (which identifies who viewed specific ads) with reservation data (which shows who ultimately made a booking), the solution delivered a comprehensive, end-to-end, multi-touch perspective on the customer journey.
Advanced audience segmentation
Utilizing MMGY’s powerful Terminal audience modeling platform—which integrates MMGY Travel Intelligence performance and intent data, Experian’s consumer intent data, and the client’s first-party data— MMGY in conjunction with Experian’s marketing analytics team developed custom audiences designed to drive incremental traveler growth.
These audience segments identified travelers most likely to engage in the unique travel experiences Windstar offers. The insights revealed not only who these travelers are, but also where they consume media, how they make travel decisions, and what influences their purchasing behavior. This data guided the development of hyper-targeted media buys, ensuring Windstar’s messaging reached the right people on the right platforms at the right time—maximizing engagement and driving qualified leads.
The results: Mapping spend to bookings
By utilizing data connectivity and measurement, Windstar gained the insights needed to optimize every aspect of its marketing—audiences, media placements, channels, and more. This data-driven approach revealed which tactics were most effective and enabled Windstar to refine campaigns in real-time for maximum impact.
- 6,500+ bookings attributed to digital efforts: Over 6,500 bookings—valued at over $20 million—were tied to specific MMGY-managed placements, demonstrating which data-driven tactics led passengers to book. This level of attribution was only possible because we helped Windstar measure and connect the right data points.
- 13:1 ROAS: By investing $1.48 million in highly trackable, data-informed media, Windstar achieved an impressive 13:1 return on ad spend. Data connectivity gave Windstar the clarity needed to target the right audiences and channels—turning every $1 of spend into $13 of bookings.
- Actionable cost per booking benchmark: Armed with the ability to map ad spend to individual bookings, Windstar’s average cost per booking settled at $236. With insight into which audiences and placements performed best, Windstar adjusted its strategy in real-time, lowering acquisition costs across the board.
- High-value reservations: Attributed bookings were, on average, $500 higher in value than non-attributed bookings. By focusing on the right customer segments and messages—determined through precise measurement and segmentation—Windstar secured more bookings and maximized revenue per guest.
- Terminal Audiences outperformed: For Terminal-targeted segments, the ROAS soared to 28:1 with nearly half the cost per booking compared to non-Terminal audiences. This outcome illustrates how advanced data segmentation and connectivity deliver more profitable guests at lower acquisition costs—further proof that continuous optimization grounded in real data pays off.
What this means for travel and hospitality
Windstar’s success story illuminates a bigger truth for the travel and hospitality industry: closing the attribution loop is no longer optional. In a fiercely competitive marketplace, brands need concrete proof that their marketing investments drive awareness and translates into real revenue. By marrying MMGY’s travel-specific marketing acumen with Experian’s marketing data and identity solutions, travel brands can:
- Invest with confidence: Marketing investment flows to the most effective channels and placements based on actual bookings, not superficial metrics.
- Refine strategies: Real-time attribution data creates a feedback loop marketers can use to iterate on messaging, creativity, and targeting for even stronger results.
- Capture higher-value guests: Pinpointing and appealing to likely travelers allows marketers to increase booking volume and total revenue per booking.
Charting a course for data-driven success
By seamlessly linking digital exposure to confirmed reservations, Experian and MMGY gave Windstar Cruises the compass they needed to navigate the complexities of digital marketing confidently. This new level of insight is empowering Windstar to double down on the campaigns, creatives, and segments that move the needle the most.
For travel and hospitality brands worldwide, data-driven attribution goes beyond simply understanding what happened—it’s about shaping what comes next. When marketing decisions are guided by real customer journeys and precise ROI metrics, brands can make more innovative investments, foster stronger guest relationships, and chart a course toward sustainable growth. Ready to embark on your own data-driven journey?
Contact us to learn how Experian and MMGY can help you create impactful, measurable marketing strategies.
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About MMGY
MMGY is a leading integrated marketing company dedicated to the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. With deep expertise spanning research, brand strategy, media planning, and creative execution, MMGY helps global travel brands forge meaningful connections with consumers. By utilizing data-driven insights, cutting-edge technology, and decades of experience, MMGY delivers strategic programs that capture attention and drive measurable results for its clients—ensuring that every marketing investment is tied to clear business outcomes.
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Commerce media networks have had a strong start. Growth has been fast, demand has been strong, and brands have made it clear they want closer access to commerce-driven audiences. But as more networks mature and enter the space, many are starting to feel the same pressure point: scale. Most commerce media networks were built as managed service businesses. That model works well early on. High-touch, white-glove partnerships make sense when you’re working with a handful of strategic brands. But there’s a ceiling. There are only so many teams, only so much inventory, and only so many advertisers that model can realistically support. It’s one thing for a large retailer to build custom programs for a P&G. It’s another to do that at scale for hundreds or thousands of brands. At some point, growth slows, not because demand disappears, but because the model can’t stretch any further. The scale problem no one likes to talk about That’s where many commerce media leaders find themselves today. Pausing to assess what comes next. For a long time, growth has been measured almost entirely through media dollars. That mindset is understandable. Media is familiar, it's easy to quantify. It shows up clearly in negotiations and revenue reports. But viewing commerce media networks purely as media sales engines creates long-term risk. It can strain brand relationships, limit innovation, and distract from what commerce media networks actually do better than almost anyone else: understand consumers deeply. Signals are the real asset Commerce platforms sit close to decision-making. They see what people search for, what they consider, what they buy, and when those behaviors change. Those signals are incredibly powerful. And yet, most networks only activate them inside their own walled environments. That’s a missed opportunity. Curation represents the next area of growth for commerce media networks, and it doesn’t require replacing or diminishing existing media revenue. In fact, it complements it. No single commerce media network has all the data needed to give advertisers the scale and reach they're looking for. And no advertiser wants to recreate the same audience in dozens of disconnected platforms. That friction creates inefficiency and slows decision-making. Why collaboration supports sustainable growth The opportunity is to look beyond first-party data alone and start thinking about collaboration. Second-party data. Data partnerships. Signal sharing done responsibly and transparently. Imagine an advertiser defining an audience once and being able to understand and reach that audience across multiple commerce environments. Not through a series of disconnected buys, but through a more consistent approach built on shared understanding leading to increased reach and more impactful campaigns. That’s easier for advertisers to manage, and it creates an additional revenue stream for commerce media networks that complements media sales rather than competing with them. Curation strengthens media, it doesn't replace it Media will always play an important role. There is clear value in custom experiences tied directly to a commerce environment. Think buyouts, sponsored experiences, custom creative integrations. Those are situations where brands want to work closely with the network itself. But the signals commerce media networks hold don’t need to be limited to those moments. Those signals can be monetized independently through data products, co-ops, and partnerships that extend their value into other channels. That’s how curation adds value without undercutting existing revenue. A practical path forward for commerce media leaders For commerce media leaders thinking about their next phase of growth, the focus should be on sustainability. Building a massive media operation takes time and investment. Data-driven revenue streams can be introduced more quickly, require fewer internal resources, and provide steadier margins. It’s a practical approach. Use signal-based revenue to fund growth. Let that revenue support investment in tooling, talent, and media innovation over time. Bootstrapping, in the truest sense. Why transparency matters early There’s also a broader responsibility here. In many advertising channels, transparency followed growth, often after pressure from the market. Commerce media networks have an opportunity to do this differently. To lead with transparency from the start. To be clear with brands and consumers about how data is used, how signals are created, and how value flows through the ecosystem. Because the reality is this: commerce media networks are holding some of the most valuable intent signals in the market today. But those signals don’t retain their value in isolation. If they aren’t enhanced, combined, and made accessible in the right ways, someone else will step in to do it. And when that happens, control shifts away from the source. The bottom line The next chapter of commerce media isn’t just about selling more media alone. It’s about recognizing the value of the signals already in hand, working together to make them more useful, and building additional revenue streams that support long-term growth. That’s how commerce media networks grow without eating their own lunch. About the author Kevin Dunn Chief Revenue Officer, Experian Kevin Dunn joins Experian Marketing Services with more than 20 years of leadership experience across marketing and advertising technology, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Brands and Agencies at LiveRamp. In that role, he led growth across retail, CPG, travel, hospitality, financial services, and healthcare, overseeing new business, account expansion, and channel partnerships. Kevin is known for building cohesive, accountable teams and leading with optimism, clarity, and a strong sense of shared purpose. His leadership philosophy centers on empowering people, driving positive outcomes for clients and fostering a culture where teams can grow, take smart risks, and succeed together. Latest posts