Dive Brief:
- Choice Hotels International has named two new agencies of record (AOR), handing creative duties to 72andSunny New York and digital media to Dentsu X, according to a press release.
- The appointments follow a period of expansion, including the acquisition of Radisson in 2022, and arrive amid a revamp of Choice’s rewards program. Dentsu X is already devising a media plan for the remainder of the year, helping extend Choice’s largest ad campaign to date.
- The new agencies will work in collaboration with Choice’s in-house marketing unit while Havas Media, a long-time partner, will continue to spearhead TV media planning and buying. Choice joins other hotel networks that have reprioritized brand building to win favor with travelers, particularly Gen Z and millennials.
Dive Insight:
Choice is making big changes to its agency roster following a period of expansion, including its acquisition of Radisson, to grow brand awareness. The Radisson deal, which completed its integration late last year, is part of Choice’s attempt to establish a stronger foothold in the upscale hospitality category, a change for the marketer historically focused on mid-range and budget-friendly options.
A more high-end positioning is part of Choice’s largest ad campaign to date, an effort starring actor Keegan-Michael Key that debuted at the start of 2024. Dentsu X is helping extend the celebrity-led “A Stay for Any You” further into digital channels as part of its AOR appointment, with more online, podcast and social media buys supporting the brand awareness push for the second half. Choice has recently started marketing to Gen Z and millennials more heavily through apps like TikTok. Meanwhile, Stagwell-owned 72andSunny is in the midst of researching and developing a new campaign expected to launch in early 2025.
“A Stay for Any You,” which features commercials co-written by Key and his partner, Elle Key, was created with McKinney, Choice’s previous creative AOR. In its hunt for new agencies, Choice focused on marketing services providers that could keep pace with fast-shifting media trends and engage a diverse set of consumers.
“We’re adapting to the ever-changing consumer landscape with a stronger portfolio of brands and a fresh take on our advertising and digital strategy,” said Choice CMO Noha Abdalla in a press statement. “We’re thrilled to partner with 72andSunny, dentsu X and Havas Media to bring breakthrough creative to right guests, at the right time and in the right channels.”
Choice is among a fleet of hospitality chains that have ramped up marketing to capitalize on renewed travel appetites and falling consumer favor for home-sharing platforms that once disrupted the industry like Airbnb. Hotels are focused on loyalty programs that can be rich sources of first-party data that can be used to inform marketing initiatives. Choice is tweaking its own rewards program, Choice Privileges, to offer more experiences and additional ways to redeem points, the release said.
Choice’s agency switch could also be a stepping stone to developing an advertising network as brands seek media channels enriched by first-party data. Marriott in 2022 was the first hospitality company to crack into the media network space with an offering powered by its Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, following a monetization model retailers have popularized.
Choice owns 22 brands in total, including Radisson, Cambria Hotels, Comfort Hotels, Sleep Inn and Quality Inn. The company earlier this year scrapped plans for a $7 billion acquisition of rival Wyndham.
