The first time I saw the Trivago Hotels commercial a few months ago (with the now in/famous Trivago guy of course), I was not quite sure what to make of it. My reaction was, “Hmmm, what’s up with that…?”
But I never really thought much of it until recently – after seeing him for the umpteenth time. I am not one of those who hate this commercial and the way his outfit is put together. I think it’s just fine. Then again, I don’t sweat most stuff. I believe people are just over-reacting. In fact, I’ve grown to like the guy to the point of finally Googling about him yesterday, and to see “what” this Trivago Guy is all about.
In Google, I typed “Who is the Trivago commercial model?” Lo and behold, there’s a ton of comments and posts about him already! It turns out I am not alone in my wondering. And that there are mixed reactions out there (mostly negative), not so much with the company, but with the Trivago character himself.
The model’s name is Tim Williams, an actor and a musician. He was born in Houston, Texas USA. I really could not understand what the fuss is about. He is an actor trying to make a living just like the rest of us – and got a nice paycheck out of it. He himself said in one post that how he was dressed in the commercial does not represent how he dresses in real life. You don’t think he arrived at the commercial shoot already dressed the way you see him on that Trivago ad, do you? Consider too how amazing make-up, hairdo and outfit can change the way an actor looks. Check out the actors in Downton Abbey and you would see the big difference between how their characters look and how they truly look like in real life.
So I sat there and “listened” to all the comments – the way I would sit and shut my mouth while listening to two of my kids argue about something. THEN after listening, I would ask them if I can start talking and tell them what I think of the matter.
And here’s what I think (my opinion is on the Trivago Guy, not the actor because I do not know him as a person):
So, many people hate the way the Trivago guy looks disheveled and unkempt, and how his body seemed disproportionate and how he didn’t have a belt. Some said he looks homeless and alcoholic and criticized different parts of his body. Which I think of course is unkind because it is shallow to criticize how another human looks like.
I think differently. Though at first I think the image created is somehow off, I decided he is hot and sexy. My 16 year old son thinks he looks weird. But I joked to him that I wanted him to grow up to have a body just like that: broad-shouldered, almost triangle-shaped torso. My son happened to be 6 feet tall, slender and straight as a stick. I was just joking so I hope he does not develop a complex. From my understanding, the Trivago Guy has elicited some raised eyebrows not just with annoyed and creeped-out women but also with men – jealousy (along with irritation) perhaps on some of the gentlemen’s part?
I can’t help but chuckle at some of the comments I saw online about him. Some are Pro-Trivago Guy just like Donna b’s comment in http://mommies-in-orbit.com/2014/03/whats-up-with-the-trivago-guy.html
Donna b August 4, 2014, 7:15 am
Reply —
All of you people sound as if you are all so perfect… I think this guy is an absolute hottie….we complain all of the time that companies don’t use the everyday people of the world for their ads but use actors….did you know that when we see fault in other people it represents the faults we have in our own life…you’re all picking apart how he looks, how he talks, and just overall bashing….well for sure I am not perfect and by reading over some of these comments at least I can say That I have a heart….It takes all kinds of people to make up a world and I am quite happy to spend my time with the trivago girls and guys in it…. Like I said this guy is such a hottie and I would welcome the idea of a date if we weren’t worlds apart….donna b
Come to think of it, had the company opted on using the over-rated and over-dressed guy in The Bachelor/The Bachelorette (majority’s description of “hot”), we would not be talking about The Trivago Guy – and Trivago for that matter. It will be just one of those unsurprising commercials – too expected, too safe. If they put a guy in suit, my impression of Trivago would be one of company for super-busy and overpaid business executives jet-setting all over America or all over the world. And after a wonderful stay at a Trivago hotel suite, would be rushing to a day of meetings and lunches with other highly educated executives – certainly not representative of the mass population, and certainly does not sound like fun, not to me. By the way, guys in suits could be alcoholics too.
The commercial removed the intimidation (but obviously not the annoyance for many) most of us would feel when dealing with a travel company. The Trivago guy’s down to earth feature not only provoked our wonderment about his image but also caught our attention on the existence of the company (I am not a traveler ‘yet” so that was the first time I heard of Trivago).
In an article by Sarah Hampson:
My husband has a problem with Trivago Guy. “You find him sexy?” he wondered recently. “Well, sort of,” I replied. “He’s got something going on. I’m just not sure if it’s good or bad.”
…. [The] Trivago Guy’s worst crime seems to be that he’s trying too hard to look young. “This is a guy who looks as if he has been photographing teenage models since his twenties. And he still hangs out with them. One thing I can tell you is that he’s not interested in middle-aged women,” my husband opined while pouring me a glass of wine and kissing me on the top of my head.
The Trivago Guy looks to me like the kind who would frolic in some exotic island paradise. And with some kindness on our part, we can justify his unkempt look by thinking that he might have sweated walking the whole afternoon with his lady-love visiting the native shops in town. He actually inspires me to lose weight and put on an above-the-knee and slimming sun dress, and imagine myself walking along the promenade with him. Though what Sarah’s husband said above might be true. He might not be interested in middle-aged women, which made me feel somehow sad. So let’s be realistic now. You would not think of George Clooney walking on the beach with a fifty-something year old woman would you? Divorced and given the second (or third, or fourth….) chance at romance, their gals just had to be at least fifteen years younger.
Yeah, there sure is something about the Trivago Guy. Whatever it is – what the heck – I just needed to know.
And this, is how the company that is Trivago succeeded in catching our attention.
This Writer's Delight 