Marketing Objectives:
Clearly state your marketing goals.
What did your company strive to achieve using this piece or program?In preparation of the first GLo in Canada, BWHR’s Communications and PR team sought to: • Highlight BWHR’s exponential growth within the Canadian market and beyond – particularly their boutique hotel offering GLo – a refreshing and energetic new construction brand that is breaking the suburban cookie-cutter hotel mold; • Reach the intended audience within the lodging sector of management companies, potential developers and ownership groups through securing a top-tier feature story in a respected trade publication; • Showcase BWHR’s ongoing dedication to innovation to meet the needs of today’s travelers while further securing the brand’s powerful place as an innovator in the growing midscale market.

Target Audience:
Who was/is the target audience?
Characterize the composition, size, and location of your target audience.The target audience for this placement was the Canadian hospitality industry, independent hoteliers and developers (prospective members) that know and love BWHR’s brands.

Research, Planning, and Implementation:
What market research was conducted prior to planning the piece/campaign?To maximize results of GLo Kanata Ottawa West’s opening, BWHR’s Communications team and PR agency executed a familiarization (FAM) trip welcoming key Canadian journalists to experience the brand. The FAM strategically aligned with the hotel’s grand opening ceremony, giving media access to brand executives, local dignitaries and more. Prior to the FAM, the PR agency researched and vetted a group of key Canadian hospitality journalists. The PR agency identified Colleen Isherwood, President and Editor of Canadian Lodging News, as a top media target. With more than 12,000 UMVs, this outlet was identified as the perfect vehicle to generate local buzz and wider momentum for the brand within the industry. The PR agency sent Colleen a tailored invitation. Upon receiving confirmation, the agency arranged travel accommodations and provided a detailed itinerary which included group dinners, on-site breakfasts, one-on-one interviews with BWHR’s CMO Dorothy Dowling and a property tour hosted by t

Message:
What is the key message intended for the piece/campaign?
What differentiates your piece/campaign in the marketplace?Key messages the PR agency aimed to deliver in this feature included: • The BWHR portfolio offers distinctive brand options to hotel owners and travelers in the majority of chain scale segments, inclusive of GLo, its new innovative brand in the upper-midscale hotel market, which was designed with today’s traveler in mind, featuring digital keys, concierge and communal workspaces. • GLo Kanata Ottawa West is the first to arrive for the brand in Canada, marking an exciting milestone for Best Western® Hotels & Resorts. • GLo is designed for savvy travelers who expect the best in value, design, and comfort. • GLo is a winning option for independent hoteliers, as it affords them access to BWHR’s global support network while maintaining their individuality.

Results:
How did you measure the effectiveness of your efforts and what direct and tangible results did you achieve? Please be as specific as possible and share the full impact of your efforts in CSR. Understandably, maintenance is another major part of CSR. If you have continued to actively and consistently work on your CSR process; please add those actions to your results description.

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.The story ran online just after the grand opening event, providing a timely overview of GLo’s arrival in the Canadian Market and creating buzz for Today’s Best Western and the company’s ongoing evolution. With an ad value of $113.70 and reaching 12,259 UMVs, the placement highlights how GLo is designed with today’s traveler in mind with digital keys, concierge and communal workspaces, making it a powerful innovator in the growing upper-midscale market. Imagery and key message pull-through was a success, quoting SVP and CMO Dorothy Dowling, Hotel Owner Arif Sharriff and City Councilor for Kanata South Allan Hubley. After the opening event, there was an increase in visits to the GLo microsite, with more than 6% of all global visits coming from Canada. Today, the brand continues to grow at an impressive rate, as a result of the exposure generated from this placement and others surrounding the launch, with six properties open around the world and another 26 in the global pipeline.

Research, Planning and Implementation
What research was conducted prior to planning the initiative? Describe the step by step efforts to plan and implement the initiative in a way that would allow others to be able to duplicate your efforts. Were their individuals or teams that offered leadership to ensure effectiveness?

Message and Communication
What were your key messages? How did you differentiate your messages? What was the purpose of the communications? How did you communicate your actions to the target audience? What other stakeholders or media did you approach for assistance?

Results and Impact
What results had the greatest impact on your target audience? What results were directly tied to the HSMAI Foundation Mission? Which of your original goals was achieved? Please comment on the process and the outcomes. What measures were used to determine success? How was the data collected? What is the status of the initiative now – will it continue? Was it effective? Will it be used continuously? Will you help others use the initiative to help the industry meet its needs for exceptional talent? How?

Message:
What is the key messages intended for the piece/ campaign?
What differentiates your piece/campaign in the marketplace?
What helped you breakthrough on mobile?

Results:
What original goals did you achieve and how?
How did you measure the effectiveness of the piece or campaign?
Entrants should provide quantifiable metrics tied to real business results (eg brand lift, leads, or bookings generated).

Project Analysis:
Please provide a brief background on the project and your efforts to preserve the destination’s natural, cultural and historic heritage.

Objectives and Goals:
What did organization set out to achieve in undertaking this project?

Creativity and Innovation:
What new and innovative ideas did you incorporate in either your method of outreach or in the implementation of the project that you think could inspire others committed to sustainability in the tourism and travel industry?

Communication:
How did you communicate your actions to the public, the media and other key stakeholders and what was the aim of the message?
How did you generate publicity in order to build awareness of, or support corporate values on your sustainability initiatives.

Results:
How did you measure the effectiveness of your efforts and what direct and tangible results did you achieve?

Leadership:
Please list the individual in a leadership role responsible for the project and how would you characterize their commitment to promoting preservation and sustainability best practices in the travel and tourism industry?

Entry TitleCanadianLodgingNews.com - Modern and Energetic Boutique Hotel Brand GLo® Arrives in Canada

DivisionPublic Relations

Sub-categoryPR Single Item

CategoryFEATURE PLACEMENT ONLINE - Trade Media

Classification