William Shatner's Negotiator Found Alive In Latest Priceline.com TV Ad

NORWALK, Conn., Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After plunging off a bridge to his presumed demise, the Priceline Negotiator, aka William Shatner, has miraculously been found alive in a new priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) TV spot that begins airing this week.  To view the new spot, visit www.youtube.com/priceline.

No one knows for sure what happened that January day when his tour bus began its plunge, but The Negotiator made it out alive, according to priceline.com and its ad agency, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP).   In the new spot, a priceline.com agent finds him and tries to convince The Negotiator that his mission isn't over.  He still needs to tell the world how priceline.com is developing even faster, easier ways to save money on hotels, rental cars and flights. 

For example, priceline.com recently launched a new Express Deals(sm) hotel service that allows customers to instantly save up to 45% on their hotel rooms without bidding.  Also, priceline.com continues to enhance its popular mobile offerings across iOS, Android and other platforms, allowing last-minute travelers wherever they are to book money-saving hotels, rental cars and airline tickets.  Recent mobile upgrades include the expansion of priceline.com's Tonight-Only Deals for same-night hotel stays, with airline ticketing and Express Deals for mobile devices to follow.

Priceline.com's travel booking apps can be downloaded from the Android market https://market.android.com/details?id=com.priceline.android.negotiator  and the iTunes store http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/priceline-hotel-car-negotiator/id336381998?mt=8&uo=4.

Needless to say, The Negotiator is pleased with this turn of events.  "I negotiated my way out of that bus crash and into priceline.com's new commercial," said Mr. Shatner.  "There's no limit to the Negotiator's skills."

Fan and customer sentiment was strongly in favor of a Negotiator return.  In a recent survey of priceline.com customers, the company found that 94% said they missed The Negotiator and would like to see him again.

"Like all classic cliffhangers, the suspense lies in what happens next to The Negotiator," said priceline.com's Chief Marketing Officer Brett Keller.  "We know our customers and his fans are pleased to see him alive.  As far as where the story goes from here, well, we'll just have to see."   

About The Priceline Group
The Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN) is a leader in global online hotel reservations, with over 260,000 participating hotels worldwide.  The Group is composed of four primary brands – Booking.com, priceline.com, Agoda.com and Rentalcars.com – and several ancillary brands. The Priceline Group provides online travel services in over 180 countries in Europe, North America, South America, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa.

Booking.com is the number one online hotel reservation service in the world, offering over 235,000 hotels (as of August 7, 2012), and is available in 41 languages.  More recent hotel counts are available on the Booking.com website.  Priceline.com gives leisure travelers multiple ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. In addition to getting compelling published prices, travelers can take advantage of priceline.com's famous Name Your Own Price® service, which can deliver the lowest prices available, or the recently added Express Deals℠, where travelers can take advantage of hotel discounts without bidding.  Agoda.com is an Asia-based online hotel reservation service that is available in 37 languages.  Rentalcars.com is a multinational car hire service, offering its reservation services in over 6,000 locations.  Customer support is provided in 38 languages.

SOURCE Priceline.com