Adrian Awards 2019
Marketing Objectives:
Clearly state your marketing goals.
What did your company strive to achieve using this piece or program?
The objectives of launching the global Marriott Bonvoy campaign were two fold: first, to drive awareness of the new brand name and program benefits; and second, to drive preference among members and non-members – an incredibly complex challenge. Marriott had to keep its legacy Marriott Rewards members engaged. Simultaneously, it had to win over Starwood Preferred Guest members, many of whom were Starwood loyalists and serious flight risks. And for non-members, Marriott needed to capitalize on the moment to generate buzz and showcase value to convince them to sign up. Marriott had to educate, excite and engage all three groups to successfully pull off a launch, and a relaunch – all at the same time.
Target Audience:
Who was/is the target audience?
Characterize the composition, size, and location of your target audience.
Marriott was looking to drive awareness of the new Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program among three groups around the world: existing Marriott Rewards members, existing Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members, and non-members. With non-members, we were specifically targeting Next Gen Experience Seekers (consumers who share the mindset that genuine travel experiences lead to personal fulfillment) and Elite travelers (road warriors who leverage their business travel perks for leisure and family experiences).
Research, Planning, and Implementation:
What market research was conducted prior to planning the piece/campaign?
To kick off the re-launch of the loyalty program and introduce the new marketing campaign to the world, all eyes fell to the Oscars. Marriott found that 75% of Oscars viewers were twice as likely to spend money on luxury travel. With that insight and the wide reach of the Oscars viewership, it was clear this was the moment to reveal the new brand. From there, Marriott strategically aligned with its global partners around the world – including Manchester United, Coachella and South Beach Food and Wine Festival – to target each passion point of its core audience with unique and engaging member experiences. Holistically, this global campaign set out to reach consumers via: •On-site bespoke experiences at major events •Targeted release of its marketing campaign through TV, online and digital platforms •Social media paid and organic amplification
Message:
What is the key message intended for the piece/campaign?
What differentiates your piece/campaign in the marketplace?
Whatever your passion, Marriott ensures there’s not only a place for it but an irresistible experience there waiting for you. With unmatched benefits, Marriott Bonvoy is built on the belief that travel enriches us all and has the power to enrich the world. The combined loyalty program features approximately 120,000 experiences in 1,000 destinations available for purchase or by redeeming points. The massive re-launch campaign showcased not only the immense access the brand could offer members around the globe, but also brought to life Marriott Bonvoy’s ethos that all travel is good travel and connected members with the world around them.
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 movement proved powerful. The Oscars in total garnered 54.4MM views, with the ad spot catching the eyes of 29.6MM viewers. As of late June, the global commercial for Marriott Bonvoy has been shown 1,579 times generating 794MM household impressions. In addition to thousands of associates and guests celebrating around the world together, Marriott boasted: •Generated global lifts in awareness among both members and non-members throughout the campaign flight, including +17% awareness among non-members in the US since February •650MM Impressions and 341MM video views (as of 6/23/19) •3.79 billion total PR impressions with an 83% positive or neutral sentiment •Enrollment is up 7.5% to 125MM members, adding nearly 1.5MM members each month •Traffic to the Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiences marketplace increased by nearly 300% compared to the previous experiences marketplace sites, with 820+ packages being redeemed for more than 85MM points
Entry Title
Marriott Bonvoy Global Launch
Division
Public Relations
Sub-category
PR Campaign
Category
RE-LAUNCH OF EXISTING PRODUCT
Classification
Entry Award:
Gold, Platinum