First Choice Redefines The Lads Holiday

First Choice has launched an earned-first integrated campaign in partnership with Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), the UK’s leading suicide prevention charity, offering alternative all-boys trips to redefine what the stereotypical ‘lads’ holiday’ involves.

The campaign, the first since Ogilvy PR was appointed, sees First Choice and CALM come together to curate Better Boys Trips, a series of alternative holiday itineraries that offer a more authentic and diverse experience in traditional party hotspots. The trips are being amplified with a series of earned-first activations and influencer partnership with infamous YouTube star George Clarke. 

The work aims to combat the ‘Manflew Epidemic’ - a newly-coined term addressing the anxieties that come with all-boys holidays – and draws on First Choice’s own research finding 81% of men aged 18 – 35 feel pressured to act more macho, and 66% struggle to keep up with excessive partying. 

The iconic travel brand has also partnered with indie fashion brand Everpress to reimagine the classic holiday ‘shit shirt’ with a limited-edition form of ‘lads’ holiday t-shirts. All proceeds from the T-shirts go to CALM and can be purchased here.