Goals: Clearly state your marketing goals. What did you strive to achieve using this piece or program?
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, a Double Forbes Five Star resort, partnered with the iconic British lifestyle brand Barbour to create unique guest experiences that blend adventure, fashion, and fine dining. The primary marketing goals were to:
(1) Target a global audience interested in luxury travel, adventure, and fashion, showcasing Wequassett as a premier destination; (2) Position Wequassett as a top choice for curated, high-end guest experiences, particularly during Cape Cod's shoulder season, following the resort’s announcement to operate year-round; (3)Drive consumer interest and boost bookings for Wequassett and its food & beverage outlets.
Results: Which of your original goals did you achieve and how? How did you measure the effectiveness of the piece or campaign? Entrants should provide quantifiable results of their tactics or campaigns. (for example, click through rates or ad equivalency)
All three marketing goals were successfully achieved through a series of immersive activations, including the Barbour Field Guide of seasonal activities, a Borrowing Closet for guests, exclusive food and beverage offerings, and more.
(1) The Wequassett team pitched, coordinated, and assisted in garnering coverage of the Barbour partnership in target local, regional, and national publications, resulting in a stand-alone feature in Fortune magazine, an American global business magazine that reaches more than 30.5M unique monthly visitors, on November 11, 2023; (2) To maximize exposure, Wequassett hosted two curated press trips in March and April 2023, along with individual media stays, inviting top-tier travel, lifestyle, and fashion journalists. These guests experienced exclusive Barbour-themed activities such as clamming tours led by the resort’s on-site clammer, historic lighthouse tours, stargazing events, and a Barbour-inspired dinner featuring bespoke cocktails and a whisky tasting experience; (3) Professional photographer Mark James Dunn captured these moments, and his images were featured in the Fortune story, providing readers with a visual narrative of the partnership.
Following the feature being published, Wequassett observed significant increases in digital engagement, including over 1460 website sessions from 1264 unique users. This spike in engagement underscores the feature's success in driving interest and brand visibility.
Return on Investment: How much revenue has the piece or campaign generated and how does this compare to your goal? What was the return on investment?
Wequassett invested $2,100 to host Rachel King, the Fortune writer, for a two-night stay in October. Her feature in Fortune subsequently contributed to 8 bookings of the Barbour-specific stay package which was a major YOY increase of 88%. These bookings generated $16,438 in revenue for the property. After this piece was published, the team additionally saw a spike in Barbour-specific retail purchases which generated $5,600 versus the $850 recorded in July of 2023. Cumulatively, the property saw a return of investment of $19,938.
Division
Public Relations/Communications - Feature Placement Online or Print - Consumer Magazine or Newspaper
Category
Public Relations/Communications