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Hotel Ads / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Ritz-Carlton Ads Are Now Using Reverse Psychology

Once upon a time, an international hotel brand become so self-assured that it started an ad campaign telling people it could "move heaven and earth, then move it back" as well as "stop time for a day." Well, heaven would be nice, and we would sure love an extra-extra-long weekend, but maybe we could just start with a free breakfast?

Ritz-Carlton is going for the road-less-traveled approach with its new "Let Us Stay With You" ad campaign. The slogan, which at first sounds like they are asking to spend the night at your house, actually refers to the brand's commitment to making each guest's experience as memorable as possible.

From tailored suits to fireworks to baby turtles to champagne to something called senbazuru (a type of origami)—Ritz-Carlton has suddenly become like the upscale department store of the hotel world. Whatever you want, they'll provide. And even if you didn't necessarily think you wanted it, they'll go ahead and provide it anyway.

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Hotel Ads / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Business Travel Hotels / → All Tags

Marriott Sexes Things Up with New Ad Campaign

Hotels Mag recently took a closer look at the new $6 million global ad campaign for Marriott Hotels and it's clear this is not your Grandma and Grandpa's Marriott anymore.

The Experience More at Marriott campaign features watercolor illustrations from artist Kareem Iliya whose done work for Louis Vuitton, Perrier Jouet and Tiffany & Co., a clear sign that Marriott is trying to showcase its newer, upscale properties.

One ad is targeted for business travelers, showing a shot of the hotel lobby with the tagline: "Where good company meets good business." A second ad shows off the spa ("Where relaxed meets revitalized"), while another one features a rooftop bar over a glittering city ("Where sophistication meets comfort.")

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Hotel Ads / Hotel Booking Sites / Travelocity / Hilton Hotels / → All Tags

Is Hilton Paying Travelocity to Pimp Their Hotels in Search Results?

Yes, in a way they are.

We noticed an interesting new tab on Travelocity yesterday when searching for hotels in New York. It was a tab solely for Hilton Hotels and Resorts so that you could filter your options to show only Hilton resorts.

You can already do this on the left-hand side of the page for all hotel brands but this special tab on top seemed new. Also interesting to note, the very first result that popped up was for a Hilton Hotel.

As it turns out the new feature is indeed a clever new ad buy that Hilton has placed on Travelocity. Hmmmmmmm.

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Hotel Crimes / Sofitel Hotels / Political Hotels / Hotel Ads / → All Tags

Budweiser Commercial Reverses the Roles in the Strauss-Kahn Case

By now you're already totally aware of the shake-ups at the International Monetary Fund, as the former chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned after being indicted in New York for sexually assaulting a housekeeper in his tony $3,000-per-night suite at the Sofitel. The story gets creepier as more of Strauss-Kahn's history is unveiled, but let's put all that aside for the moment.

In early 2010, Budweiser released a commercial that depicts a humorous version of events, if the roles were reversed. We're not making light of the Strauss-Khan accusations, just pointing out this ad, which flips the players and makes the maid into the provocateur, with the guest as the innocent.

Currently Strauss-Kahn is under house arrest in a multi-million dollar building in Lower Manhattan. He's far away, both literally and figuratively, from minibars and turndown service. Let's hope it stays that way.

Reality TV Hotels / Trump Hotels / Hotel Ads / Celebrity Apprentice / → All Tags

These are The Ads That Trump Hotels Won't Be Running

On last night's episode of Celebrity Apprentice, the men's and women's teams were tasked with designing an ad campaign for Donald Trump's Trump Hotels. Because Lil' Jon, La Toya Jackson, Meatloaf, Nene Leakes, Marlee Matlin, John Rich, Hope Dworaczyk and Star Jones totally have the skill set to do this.

As we all could have predicted from the get go, the results were disastrous.

The men came up with a decent slogan, "Live the Life" but failed to generate any excitement beyond that. Their copy was also riddled with spelling errors and was too wordy. Plus, the ad was missing the all-important contact details. (TrumpHotelCollection.com, is that so hard?)

Meanwhile the ladies forgot about the details in their photoshoot which featured Playboy model Dworaczyk in a bathtub with rose petals...in a towel! Nearby was an unopened bottle of champagne. D'oh.

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Hyatt Hotels / Movie Set Hotels / Morgan Spurlock / Hotel Ads / Hotel News / Hotel Key Cards / → All Tags

This is Why Morgan Spurlock is on the Key Cards at Hyatt Hotels Right Now

If you've ever wondered about the business of product placement in movies--like why a character drinks Pepsi instead of Coke or eats Lays potato chips instead of Doritos--then Morgan Spurlock's new documentary, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is a must-see.

And if you're a hotel geek or a Hyatt Hotels fan gurl or boy, this movie will also show you the perks of being Diamond level of Hyatt's Gold Passport program.

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is all about the business of product placement, advertising and marketing and the movie's attention-grabbing hook is that it was entirely funded by product placement, advertising and marketing.

Hyatt Hotels was actually a key sponsor of the movie having invested about $700,000 in the film. But Stacey Snyder, Hyatt's director of marketing, told HotelChatter that Spurlock was already a fan of Hyatts before he started making this movie.

"He didn't approach any brands that he didn't have any passion for himself," she said.

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Hotel du Vin Hotels / Glasgow Hotels / Celebrity Scoop / Piers Morgan / Hotel Ads / → All Tags

All Piers Morgan Wants from a Hotel is a Good Glass of Wine (and Some Sex)

Where: One Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Hotel beds and wine o’clock: two of the loves of Piers Morgan

It was as we were perusing the website of Hotel du Vin, the posh, claw-bathtub-and-rubber-ducky-included-as-standard boutique British chain, the other week, that we noticed a familiar face: Piers Morgan.

Yes! Ebullient Piers riffing on the joys of a hotel brand that’s based around its dedication to all kinds of wine. According to his blurb on the website:

I think I travel far, far too much. I need somewhere I can truly unwind. A place that offers me what I need, when I need it. Be it with friends or for business I look forward to stunning food and a thankfully peaceful nights sleep to recharge the batteries. Did I mention they do a great glass of wine too?

(Nice work crowbarring the word “glass” in there, Piers. We believe you.)

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Snapshot / Hotel Keycards / Nashville Hotels / Hotel Religion / Hotel Ads / → All Tags

Atheists Better Not Check Into This Hotel Anytime Soon

While it seems that bibles in the nightstand are on their way out--or at least hotels are leaning towards more non-demoninational spiritual texts--one hotel in Nashville isn't giving up on Christianity entirely. The Gaylord Opryland Hotel offers guests keycards with advertisements for GodTube.com which is exactly what you think it is--a Christian video sharing site. Um...okaaaaay.....

Hotel ads on keycards are not new. Vegas hotels have advertised their shows on keycards for years. Hilton Hotels recently did a crosspromo on their keycards for that movie, Up in the Air and down in Mexico, the Intercontinental Guadalajara even advertised help for sexual dysfunction on their room keys. (Yes, way!)

But advertising for a religious site like GodTube.com might be a first. We wonder what the American Atheists would have to say about this.

What do you think about advertising for GodTube on the hotel keycards--praise the Lord or should we just stick with YouTube? Let us know your thoughts in comments below!