Marriott celebrates Latino love for travel in social media campaign
Marriott Hotels is rolling out the latest phase of a social media campaign that celebrates travel and the cultural immersions it offers, attempting to draw in Latino demographics through celebrity YouTube videos, posts on various platforms and mobile advertising.
The hotel chain is attempting to create a conversation via social media to appeal to Latino and Hispanic consumers through popular stars in the Latin community, sharing stories of what travel means to them. Videos and digital ads have been launched on YouTube and will be seen on various mobile platforms such as Pandora, Facebook and Twitter, offering a more cost effective campaign than television spots, but with a more personal approach.
"Consumers increasingly get more exposure via social media than other traditional advertising, Marriott needs to be where its customers are," said Nikki Baird, managing partner at RSR research. "But also, sharing stories is best suited to a social media campaign than a lot of other media, so from that perspective connecting to consumers, sharing stories, it makes sense to focus on social.
"The travel industry has been leveraging celebrity voices for years, especially the luxury end," she said. "With Marriott, if they are looking to connect with an audience they do not typically reach, celebrities can help them tap into that market in a way they might not have done legitimately on their own."
Bridging conversational gaps
Marriott is hoping consumers will get in on a conversation surround how important travel is, and what it means to them through numerous social platforms with the hashtag #LoveTravels. The brand is a long-time supporter of minorities, and is attempting to build a secure a genuine image for these communities.
Orange is the New Black star Diane Guerrero, Scream Queens actor Diego Boneta and YouTube musicians Boyce Avenue are showcased in various videos discussing what the phrase ?love travels? means to them. Each personality has strong Latin backgrounds and explains what it means to be both a Latino and American, along with how travel fits into that culture.
The brand will also be sharing content through social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, hoping to get users to have a genuine and real conversation regarding culture and travel.
The #LoveTravels campaign is featured on an aggregate Web site, that showers viewers a list of stars apart of the campaign and their stories. It also congregates various content shared through social media regarding the campaign.
This latest installment follows a partnership with TV personality Ross Matthews, in which he and the brand took to the gay pride Parade to officiate a wedding.
Rolling out the campaign strictly on social media is a bold but sensible move on Marriott?s part. As the content is very personal, these discussions through social media can prove more genuine and will be more two-sided rather than commercials,
in which consumers have no way of responding.
Marriott and mobile
The hotel brand is highly involved in mobile and leverages its capabilities often. Recently Marriott redefined the hotel visit with mobile at the center, enabling members of its loyalty program to engage in real-time conversations with staff before, during and after a visit through the brand?s application (see more).
The brand also became a mobile leader by taking the time to think about the customer experience at a hotel and finding ways to simplify it, but needs to improve an inconsistent user experience, Mobile Marketer?s analysis shows (see more).
"The celebrity endorsement is only as good as the celebrity?s reputation," Ms. Baird said. "Celebrity advertising is littered with campaigns that have died because the spokesperson did something stupid or illegal in their personal life.
"So there is always that risk," she said. "But also, Marriott should be thinking about how to keep these stories spreading and growing, social media might be the right place to start, but the campaign does not have to live and die in that one touchpoint with consumers.
"But rather than repeating the campaign in other channels, the company should be looking to how other channels can enhance and build on the campaign. Something that keeps it fresh and relevant across all touch points."
Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer
