Best Hotel And Lodging Email Message Campaign

For the Priority Club Rewards (PCR) member-photo promotions, IHG created a series of eye-catching ad campaigns and marketing collateral pieces prominently featuring PCR private online community members’ travel photos. The goal of the campaign was to make members feel like they could see themselves visiting these exotic locations, while adding a more personal touch to their promotional efforts. IHG also hoped this customer-centric approach would improve PCR member engagement, boost revenue and drive interest in their hotel brands among the following segments: PCR members, regular IHG hotel patrons (non- PCR members) and members of competitors’ loyalty programs or frequent patrons of their hotels. In 2006, IHG established three vibrant customer communities (powered by Communispace) comprised of existing PCR members, which IHG engaged with regularly to gain valuable insights into how they could enrich the hotel or loyalty program experience for customers. IHG still uses these communities as its social marketing secret weapon and turned to members to enhance their ads and entice more PCR members to increase bookings/length of stays at their hotels. Results of the campaign: • 24 percent increase in revenue associated with this promotion as a direct result of the members’ photos. • Remarkable revenue at low marketing costs; e.g. 10,000 PCR points rewarded per image used – in total, less than $250 for over a dozen images. • Ability to quickly and easily collect hundreds of stunning photographs from members’ hotel stays. • Chance to build lasting brand affinity among community members, their friends and family.

Contributors:

Social Marketing & Promotions Manager, IHG:	Cassandra Jeyaram
Manager of Lifecycle and e-mail marketing, IHG:	Kevin Hickey
Director of Client Services, Communispace Corporation:	Andrew Lynch
Community Manager, Communispace Corporation:	Neil Krause

GREENOUGH COMMUNICATIONS (FOR IHG AND COMMUNISPACE)

Location: USA