Case Studies
Staying at a Colonial Williamsburg Resort hotel allows visitors to stay on property and enjoy 18th-century charm coupled with 21st-century amenities. But with the decline in ticket sales to the historic area over the past several decades, occupancy at the five diverse hotel properties declined as well. It was difficult to create demand for the hotels, without increasing demand at the main attraction, so our solution - make history fun for a family vacation. Our television and print campaign was targeted at a group of travelers who were seeking a family vacation that was both fun and educational. In the campaign, we conveyed how a visit to Colonial Williamsburg offered a fun experience for everyone. A pre and post-campaign awareness study in key feeder markets demonstrated that awareness and likelihood to visit the destination increased by over 20% for two consecutive years as a result of this initiative.
Over the years, the iconic Red Lion Inn, located in the Berkshires, was known as a place to celebrate special occasions and to observe important family traditions. In the past decade, the hotel owners have been challenged to find ways to appeal to a new generation of travelers, while maintaining all of the things that return guests love about the Inn - its charming character and quirky decor. As the Inn evolved its product offering to include guest houses with a more contemporary design, an evolved culinary offering appealing to a more sophisticated guest and the addition of spa services on-site, we worked with the operations team to position the Inn as ‘the’ place to stay to have a true ‘Berkshires Experience”. Through partnerships with local cultural organizations, we created ‘Pop-ups on the Porch’ which featured local dance and theater companies. Local artists were commissioned to bring community art into the Inn common spaces. New partnerships with local distilleries and breweries brought tastings to hotel guests. As a result of these efforts, The Porch became the new community social hub for guests and locals alike. These programs resulted in a Porch full of new faces that were seeking this immersive experience. It also increased ADR and RevPAR for the property.
Hammetts Hotel is a 84 room independent hotel on Newport’s waterfront known for its design, amenities and great location. Situated on Americas Cup Boulevard and adjacent to the Newport Yachting Center, Hammetts is front and center in Newport. Leading up to a summer 2020 opening, we developed the brand positioning and identity, the digital launch plan and worked with press and social influencers to let the world know that this new hotel was coming. We positioned the hotel as a place steeped in Newport industrial and maritime tradition. A bell hangs outside its doors welcoming guests to the hotel much like a maritime bell welcomes visiting VIPs to ships. Months before opening, the pandemic hit and the world shut down. But we stayed the course. Hammetts Hotel opened their doors to guests in June 2020. As they say, the rest is history. The hotel was nearly sold out in its first week of operation. Additionally, Travel + Leisure included Hammetts on their list of ‘The Best New Hotels to Book Around the World in 2020’.
Most Caribbean islands are known for their beautiful beaches and warm, friendly people. Yet few travelers really know what makes one island different from another. In addition to a ‘Sea of Sameness’, this lack of differentiation creates brand commoditization. Travel decisions are often based on price and the availability of airlift to a particular island. We were hired to grow visitation to Barbados from North America by helping to tell the ‘Barbados Story’ in a way that offered a unique and authentic experience to travelers looking for an island vacation. To do this, we focused on the Island’s cultural heritage as a way to embrace the uniqueness of Barbados. We blended the Island’s heritage, culture and natural surroundings to tell authentic stories that ended with the tagline, Barbados - The Most Authentic Caribbean Experience on Earth. A brand film, featured on the Tourism Official Website, created an emotional connection with travelers, and resulted in an increase in visitation to the island.