HSMAI MARKETING REVIEW / / / INSPIRING MARKETING SUCCESS TORIE IN TRAVEL MARKETING [HARVEY CHIPKIN] June 2012 Part 1
HSMAI Marketing Review / / / June 2012 INSPIRING MARKETING 2 Facebook, movies, TV...not surprisingly, this is where travel marketing is going in a big way. But here s one innovative program that did not (at least directly) involve any kind of electronic media. THE COMPANY: Andaz Hotels, a group of upscale lifestyle hotels developed by Hyatt. THE SITUATION: One way these hotels seek to distinguish themselves from competitors in the luxury category is by working with local artists and other idea leaders in their communities and appealing to culturally-oriented people. Andaz is always looking for ways to heighten that distinction. THE SOLUTION: Following the example of the Andaz Liverpool, which brought in a writer to read to guests (including bedtime stories); the Andaz Wall Street brought an accountant to its Wall Street location; and a well-known tattoo artist named Mister Cartoon to its Fifth Avenue property. In the first case, the accountant did taxes for free; at the Fifth Avenue property, guests were able to skip the artist s usual year-long waiting list to get tattoos, a result of his fame for doing tattoos for the likes of Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake. We were able to get in front of audiences that we typically cannot. THE RESULTS: While the promotions were not meant to be big room- booking generators, in fact three people booked rooms specifically for the accountant; and a number did so for the tattoo artist. Publicity, however, was extensive. There was mainstream coverage in outlets like USA Today and Departures magazine. However, there was also coverage of the accountant in publications like Accounting Today; and for the tattoo artist in magazines devoted to tattooing, the arts, etc. As Rachel Harrison, Andaz s spokeswoman said, We were able to get in front of audiences that we typically cannot.
HSMAI Marketing Review / / / June 2012 INSPIRING MARKETING 3 When we turn to electronic media, we find out that, yes, there is such a thing as quality reality television which worked very well for one small town. THE DESTINATION: Oceanside, California, a small beachside town between Los Angeles and San Diego. THE SITUATION: With a limited marketing budget, Oceanside was presented with an opportunity to welcome a PBS reality show called Getting Away Together about a multi-generational family taking a vacation together. The opportunity was the result of a referral by a local company that handles vacation home rentals, which represent half of Oceanside s lodging capacity. The city plans to run a contest on social media offering a free stay and again highlighting the show. THE SOLUTION: With a nominal financial contribution shared by the city, the tourism office and the vacation rental company, Oceanside hosted a 46-member family from Utah that had been taking vacations in Oceanside for the last few years. We thought it was a great idea to get our brand out there, said Leslee Gaul, CEO for Visit Oceanside. We thought we would get a lot of leverage out of that and we were very happy that it was a PBS show so that it was not shock reality. The city worked with the family to highlight some attractive locations in the destinations while maintaining an authentic feel. THE RESULTS: The show was broadcast for the first time in January and continues to be picked up by stations closer to Oceanside s critical drive markets. The city plans to run a contest on social media offering a free stay and again highlighting the show. A media launch party resulted in local newspaper and TV coverage. Nationally, there was coverage in Huffington Post, Sherman s Travel, Boston Globe and Southern Hospitality. Also, TripAdvisor is a sponsor of the show and has runs ads on its dominant site.
HSMAI Marketing Review / / / June 2012 INSPIRING MARKETING 4 Of course, video has moved in on television s territory and is being used effectively to establish brand image. THE COMPANY: Kimpton Hotels, a national chain of boutique-style hotels. THE SITUATION: The brand was a pioneer in developing boutiquestyle hotels, but newer brands had gained prominence in that arena. The company wanted to develop a promotion that would provide it with a distinctive image. We ve now built an engagement interaction engine for people to hear, see and feel Kimpton s passion about food. THE SOLUTION: Kimpton has long been associated with highquality restaurants so Ink & Co., a branding company, decided to make that the focus of a long-running campaign. It began with a web series called Behind The Apron Dishing with Kimpton Chefs. Sixteen chefs from across the country are appearing in the series, which is designed to highlight them and their contributions to the overall Kimpton hotel and restaurant experience. Recipes were provided to viewers. In addition, Kimpton launched contests three times a year in which entrants could win a private dinner in their homes prepared by a Kimpton chef. Chefs also offered Twitter chats throughout the series. According to Sam Sohaili, creative director of Ink & Col., We wanted to connect with everybody from the average person who likes to cook to serious foodies. This was a way to take barriers down between the chefs and those people. THE RESULTS: The first web episode was viewed by more than 50,000 people very shortly after it was posted, many of them members of Kimpton s loyalty program. Said Sohaili, We re just scratching the surface of the potential. It s a lot easier to talk about food than hospitality, which is less tangible. We ve now built an engagement interaction engine for people to hear, see and feel Kimpton s passion about food. We re already looking forward to what we can do in 2013.
HSMAI Marketing Review / / / June 2012 INSPIRING MARKETING 5 And, as has been proven repeatedly, a popular movie can generate powerful appeal for fans who want to see where the film was made or where they can get a feel for its setting and story. The hotel also created four Tintin-inspired rooms in honor of Belgium s favorite comic hero. THE HOTEL: Hotel Amigo, a luxury property in Brussels. THE SITUATION: The hotel wanted to create a unique experience inspired by the launch of the film The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn. The goal was to incorporate a set of offerings at the hotel inspired by the Tintin characters, in conjunction with the release of the movie, that would drive guests to stay at Hotel Amigo. Hotel Amigo saw a valuable opportunity for exposure and awareness because of the film and immediately began conversation with the Hergé Museum (Herge was the pen name of Tintin s creator) and other partners to create this unique experience. The goal was to introduce Hotel Amigo to a brand new audience of Americans who may not have associated the comic book hero to the city of Brussels before, and the opportunity allowed the property to cater to both young children and adults who grew up reading Tintin comics. THE SOLUTION: In celebration of the film, Rocco Forte s Hotel Amigo launched a Tintin-themed treasure hunt for meetings, incentives and VIP groups visiting Brussels. The hotel also created four Tintin-inspired rooms in honor of Belgium s favorite comic hero and his loyal fox terrier sidekick, Snowy. Each of the four rooms feature memorabilia from the young reporter s adventures, including artwork, a collection of figurines of Tintin and his friends, statues of mythical creatures featured in the film, as well as the famous canes and black bowler hats worn by Tintin characters. Guests booking the Tintin Collector Experience receive an official Tintin map to track Tintin s journey through the Belgium capital and visit many of the actual destinations that played a part in his adventures. There is also a family version with extra inclusions for children. THE RESULTS: The promotion received top tier media coverage, including placements in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, FoxNews.com, USAToday.com and Frommers.com, in total generating more than 73 million media impressions. Hotel Amigo was able to successfully introduce a new family friendly promotion and capitalize on its location in the heart of Brussels. With a career spanning almost 30 years, HARVEY CHIPKIN, a well known and highly regarded travel industry writer, is a regular contributor to the HSMAI Marketing Review and to a number of trade and consumer magazines. He has been twice selected as the recipient of the American Hotel & Lodging Association s Pearson Award for Excellence in Journalism.