Search Marketing Blog
Creativity is Key to Effective Travel and Tourism Promotions
Posted by Tyson Braun on 10.23.2008As a full-service search marketing company specializing in customized online client acquisition strategies for destination travel and guest service companies, EngineWorks prides itself on staying informed of the current developments and latest advancements within the travel and tourism industry. To that end, the following promotion offered by Starwood Hotels is a great example of how adding creativity to a marketing campaign can result in extensive media exposure and increased consumer interest.
Starwood Hotels’ new ‘Pay Your Birth Year’ promotion offers an innovative discount on three-night stays at select hotels in the Northeast United States and Canada. This unique promotion features retail room rates equal to the last two digits of your birth year on the second and third nights of your three-night lodging package. For example, if you were born in 1959, your first night would be at the standard room rate, and your next two nights would be at the rate of $59 per night.
We think this is a great campaign! Many standard room rates at Starwood Hotel are listed at more than $200 per night, so it’s a great offer for price conscious travelers, or anyone interested in saving vacation dollars. In addition, it’s a fun promotion that actually targets older, affluent travelers through its ‘gimmick’. The earlier your birth year, the less you pay!
The ultimate goal of any marketing message is to increase awareness. Another important attribute is to have your audience perceive that the value proposition is compelling enough to be passed along to others. The message should not only contain your business offer, but should compel the receiver to say, “Hey, I know someone who would love this offer!” For example, it wouldn’t surprised me if I received a call from my grandpa bragging about his ability to save almost twice as much as I could save during this Starwood Hotels promotion.. I can actually imagine his goofy laugh now! Even if he doesn’t actually become a hotel guest, he still would have passed on the message.
In an uncertain economy, Starwood Hotels is weathering the storm through creative marketing campaigns that unobtrusively appeal to their target audience. Perhaps this is one reason why some financial analysts are projecting Starwood Hotel’s stock to be a good investment today.
And, lucky for them, eight-year-olds are not allowed to book hotel rooms!
