As we approach the last quarter of the year, three words come to my
mind with respect to luxury travel marketing today – “reimagine,” “resonate” and “reboot.” Why?
- Savvy marketers should be brave enough to know when it’s time to reimagine their brands in order to sustain the life of that brand.
- To be effective marketers, our efforts must resonate with our target audience. They can’t just resonate with us – they have to be meaningful and impactful to our customers
- If we embrace the ideas of reimagining and resonating – along with new technology – we will likely enjoy a successful reboot, which is often a necessity in the lifecycle of a brand. Think of it as “revival of the fittest.”
Reimagine & Reinvent
As luxury travel executives, we intimately know our brands – their essence,
their defining aspects – but that doesn’t mean our brands are as distinct in
the marketplace for affluent consumers and valued travel advisors. That’s why clarity of brands is crucial – showcasing
an identity that is distinctive and rich in personality is the difference
between being remembered and getting lost in the clutter.
For clarity, you need to understand your brand – and not be fearful of reassessing
how consumers and travel partners perceive your brand. Keep your messaging
fresh and on-point. In the luxury space,
we shouldn’t try to be all things to all people – it is about being the right
thing to the right people. This principle
of “reimagine and reinvent,” as I
like to call it, is driving luxury travel brands to create stronger corporate
identities and strengthen their messaging.
Today’s emphasis is on
exhibiting a razor sharp focus to target the right people. Luxury travel companies are spending more
money on new print advertising campaigns as well as putting money into digital
and video/film because of their impact. Who is doing this? Look at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
(they just launched a new “Sense
of Place” brand campaign), Shangri-La
Hotels & Resorts (they are conceiving new television ads), Peninsula Hotels (the company is working
on new creative and a focus on video) and Taj
Hotels (they will shortly unveil a new campaign). Full disclosure –
Rosewood and Shangri-La are clients.