Marketing Review - Spring 2008 - (Page 16)

SUCCESS STORIES Paws Up, Montana other media, Patel said, “This was all about the loyalty program. We used the day to accelerate momentum for the loyalty program and for a new ad campaign we were about to break.” The next story is about a luxury resort that made up a name to capitalize on a trend. It also shows the power of targeting a specific media outlet. THE COMPANY: The Resort at Paws Up, a luxury property in western Montana. THE SITUATION: While Paws Up garnered substantial media coverage from the beginning, its public relations agency, Laura Davidson Public Relations, wanted to highlight the concept of “glamping”—short for glamorous camping, which had proved to be the most popular element at the resort’s Tent City, a group of very lavish tents. The goal was to position Tent City as the leader in “glamping,” to leverage Tent City’s “camping butler” as a unique amenity, and to build business in August and September. THE SOLUTION: The agency decided to focus on the Los Angeles Times as the most appropriate, high-value media outlet since Paws Up receives most bookings from the Los Angeles area. The agency drafted a tongue-in-cheek but informative press release on glamping at Paws Up and sent it to the business/tourism trend writer, Kimi Yoshino, and invited her to the resort. The agency organized all aspects of the visits of the writer and a photographer. THE RESULTS: The story appeared on the front page of the Los Angeles Times—not in the travel section, but as a “teaser” on Page 1 and a full page inside the main news section. The newspaper ran the story with a 3minute video and photo slide show on its Web site that was picked up on over 20 blogs worldwide. Paws Up’s Web site received more than 5,000 hits in the days following the story’s publication; of those, more than 1,000 were from California; the previous week the site received a total of 1,400 hits. The story was picked up in the Denver Post, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and others. Reservations took 12 inquires and three immediate bookings for 18 nights and $11,485 in revenue. The ad value for the Los Angeles Times and online place16 ment totaled more than $330,000; the cost was included within the agency’s retainer fee; the writer and photographer paid for their stays per the newspaper’s policy. Here’s one from the same PR agency about another made-up name—minimooning—minted to capitalize on a different kind of trend. THE COMPANY: Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, St. Thomas, USVI. THE SITUATION: This iconic St. Thomas hotel recognized the increasing trend of couples taking vacations to celebrate momentous occasions (e.g. engagement, pre-wedding, etc.) and wanted to become top-of-mind when travelers were looking for a convenient, yet romantic destination. THE SOLUTION: With the assistance of its agency, Frenchman’s Reef introduced several packages catering to this new trend, including the “On Bended Knee” proposal package. Taking into consideration that TheGroomGuide.com lists “popping the question on vacation” at the top of its list of romantic proposals, the resort wanted to assist grooms-to-be as much as possible with making the moment special and memorable. The package provided a number of unique offerings such as a private consultation with a Weddings in Paradise representative on the most romantic places to propose on St. Thomas; a photo session for the newly engaged couple; and a private, candle-lit dinner for two and champagne and strawberries in the couple’s guestroom the evening of the proposal. After becoming engaged, many couples are in need of a “Minimoon”—a way to unwind and leave all the wedding planning behind for a few days. The resort’s “Minimoon” package was complete with an in-room couple’s massage as well as an optional meeting with a destination wedding consultant. THE RESULTS: The “On Bended Knee” and “Minimoon” packages were covered in a variety of print and online consumer outlets, including Caribbean Travel & Life and LoveTripper.com as well as travel trade outlets. With no advertising budget to support the packages, Frenchman’s Reef capitalized on new trends and was showcased as innovative in reaching younger customers. In addition, press coverage resulted in bookings for each package, generating additional revenue. I With a career spanning 27 years, Harvey Chipkin, a well-known and highly regarded travel industry writer, is a regular contributor to this magazine and to a number of trade and consumer publications. He has been twice selected as the recipient of the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s Pearson Award for Excellence in Journalism. He can be reached at hchipkin@comcast.net. HSMAI MARKETING REVIEW • SPRING 2008 http://LoveTripper.com http://TheGroomGuide.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Marketing Review - Spring 2008

HSMAI Marketing Review - Spring 2008 Contents COLUMN: The Online Marketer COLUMN: Success Stories COLUMN: Guest Column Ten Trends Now Shaping the Future of Hospitality Turning the 2008 Consumer Tax Rebates into Hospitality and Travel Sales 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality and Travel Sales and Marketing The Lure of Lore: Connecting with Customers Through a Unique Brand Story A Careful Balancing Act A Meaningful Relationship: How Technology Affects the Connection Between Hospitality Marketers and Meeting Planners SPECIAL SECTION: The 2007 HSMAI Adrian Awards Building Five Star Imagery

Marketing Review - Spring 2008

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