Starwood Preferred Guest - Westin's new branding campaign ....

Okay, so I guess I'm missing something. Last week's high profile weeklies (periodicals) were carrying an expensive Westin Hotels insert with a break open fragrance panel that wafted out a scent named White Tea (I think).

And their home page has a new look with emphasis on rejuvenation and relaxing. Also saw more print ads this week with a new tag line for the brand (something like "This is how it should be" or "you belong here" etc).

Sorry I'm blurry on the particulars, but I'm on the road tonight with none of these articles nearby to confirm.

In any case, I know that *wood has a new marketing guy they got from Coke (BTW, did you see where he bounced Coke's contract and has signed with Pepsi for *wood? Wow. Forget loyalties!) and I assume this is all his making.

Any comments from the field of experts on this?

When did the Pepsi contract get signed? I don't remember reading it anywhere... New sources?

Maybe with the addition of LM, they are trying to reposition Westin...

-Vincent

Found it... http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/coke/stories/0317bizcoke.html

DANG IT! HOW COULD THEY ! I feel betrayed.

-Vincent

-Duplicate link-

No more Coke at Starwood? Shucks. Now we have to put up with Pepsi, hopefully not contaminated with chemicals (http://www.nbc5.com/news/7414416/detail.html).

YAY!!!!! I really dislike Coke and love Pepsi...... Fantastic news!!

No more Coke at Starwood? Shucks. Now we have to put up with Pepsi, hopefully not contaminated with chemicals (http://www.nbc5.com/news/7414416/detail.html).

Coca Cola would never let such a thing happen ;)

-Vincent

Pepsi? What a bummer! Sounds like Mr. Heyer had an axe to grind with his former employer. I hope this isn't indicative of future *wood downgrades to come. ;) At least St. Regis is sticking with Coke...

At least St. Regis is sticking with Coke...

As well as overseas (where Pepsi is generally not liked as much as Coca Cola anyways...)

-Vincent

Okay, so I guess I'm missing something. Last week's high profile weeklies (periodicals) were carrying an expensive Westin Hotels insert with a break open fragrance panel that wafted out a scent named White Tea (I think).

And their home page has a new look with emphasis on rejuvenation and relaxing. Also saw more print ads this week with a new tag line for the brand (something like "This is how it should be" or "you belong here" etc).

Sorry I'm blurry on the particulars, but I'm on the road tonight with none of these articles nearby to confirm.

In any case, I know that *wood has a new marketing guy they got from Coke (BTW, did you see where he bounced Coke's contract and has signed with Pepsi for *wood? Wow. Forget loyalties!) and I assume this is all his making.

Any comments from the field of experts on this?


Ummm . . . so back to the Westin thing (though I share the sadness over the soda switch) . . . Westin has a whole new "renewal" theme going on. At my second home, the Westin Grand DC, they were handing out letters about it as you checked in a few weeks ago. Something about a new "welcome ambassador" or some other silly name in the lobby to direct incoming traffic (don't see the necessity, but whatever), supposedly a continuation/finishing of the very piecemeal renovations that have been going on at that property for ages, and . . . I forget if there was anything else.

Actual changes I've noticed: the old notepads in the rooms have been replaced by Post-It pads that have various vaguely nature-themed images on them (but I kind of think the image that's on the top of a fresh pad looks like a cockroach), there was at first a new oragami-ish key holder at check in which I haven't seen again (maybe they're still trying to use up the old ones), there's some scent-generating machine, like a giant Glade Plug-In of sorts, hiding behind one of the columns in the lobby, and (sometimes) when you don't put the "change my sheets" postcard on the bed in the morning, they leave you a postcard saying "thanks for not making us change the sheets, Captain Planet loves you," or something to that effect, thereby burning down the forest to save the oceans.

Also, I've suddenly seen a tremendous amount of Westin ads, particularly online, whereas I don't think I'd ever seen one before the past month or two.

Since there are sometimes stretches where I spend more time at the Westin than I do elsewhere, I'm worried that with all this "renewal" going on, I won't have enough time to get old between stays and eventually I'll get so new that I don't even exist any more, and I'll just disappear in a puff of lavender-vanilla scented aromatherapy candle. :eek:

Also, I've suddenly seen a tremendous amount of Westin ads, particularly online, whereas I don't think I'd ever seen one before the past month or two.


Indeed true, I have seen an impressive amount of Westin ads especially on TV in the past few weeks; on A&E and some other "cable channels"...

They've been working on the rebranding thing for a while, well over 5 years, the heavenly bed, re-doing of their logo and livery (what the heck was that logo anyways), focus on enhanced gym, and now I guess their market research has directed them to focus more on the upper middle class white collar yoga spa $50 facial moisterizer demographic.

While the Sheraton, is, the Sheraton.

I also saw a Westin open and smell ad (kind of like the ones used to promote perfumes) in one of my magazines. In addition, I noticed last week during my stay at the Westin Mission Hills that the room smelled nice after the maid left. I had previously really noticed this at some of the Ws I had stayed at and evidently they are now spraying the rooms with the new scent at Westins too. Smells pretty good!

I have to say, I find the "Renewal" branding interesting because it doesn't actually seem that relevant--a lot of Westin special packages that I've seen advertised are "Renewal Weekends" or the like that encourage couples to have a relaxing weekend away from the kids at the Westin, for example.

But while those couples might fill up some empty weekend rooms, Westin's bigger market--business travelers--are probably a better target for mid-week rooms, since they're the ones that spend more on high-markup extras like in-room Internet, room service, and laundry. And I don't know that business travelers really care all that much about being renewed while on the road. I mean, I can imagine a bunch of road warriors sitting in a focus group saying, "We'd really love a hotel that refreshes us after a miserable delayed flight and not having been home in weeks," but none of the changes so far have really accomplished that, except maybe the gym upgrades.

Then again, it is a unique brand and message, and I can't think of another hotel brand that I so clearly identify with an idea like that. So maybe there's something to it.

The lobby at Westin South Coast Plaza smelled exactly like the white tea ad. It's pleasant, but could be overwhelming for people who are sensitive to perfume.

I'm not sure they get much other than a vaugely upscale image out of the branding campaign, maybe that's enough, because otherwise I think they're just getting taken for a ride by their consultants.

New York Times reports (http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/travel/09transhotel.html) "This month, Starwood's Sheraton brand is introducing notes of fig, clove and jasmine to its hotels. By June, all Westin hotel lobbies are expected to smell like white tea, an aroma that so far can be sniffed in 12 Westin lobbies...".

The lobby at Westin South Coast Plaza smelled exactly like the white tea ad. It's pleasant, but could be overwhelming for people who are sensitive to perfume.

I don't know if I can handle the fragrances like tea in a hotel lobby. (I can't walk through some department store perfume counters because the smells make me a little nautious.)

But...

United PLUS Starwood PLUS Pepsi = one person in absolute Heaven. :)

On the other hand... I understand people who are Coke drinkers are upset. Why can't they just put both of them in the hotels. I think American Airlines did that. United should have as well.

When I saw the scent advert I hoped maybe they'd shifted to some nicer in room toiletries. If they're going for the yuppie spa vibe, wouldn't that be a more obvious route than perfuming the lobby?

The shampoo is mediocre and the moisturiser slimey. In some of the nicer locations it really lets down the overall experience -- eg when I got a lovely suite upgrade at the Diplomat. The rack rate posted in the room was $3,000. Couldn't complain on a cash and points stay, but if I'd actually paid say $1K and was sitting in my beautiful soaking tub looking out over the ocean and reached for the standard ammenities I'd feel a bit nickle and dimed.

Let's not forget the Reebok workout rooms and the no smoking policy.

I totally dig the concept of the workout rooms. That should increase sales with minimal expense.

The cigarette thing - if I owned a Westin I would be FURIOUS. True, it shortens the lifespan of the room and forces faster replacements of all furnishings, but let me tell you - smokers NEED to smoke and they will not stay in a hotel that does not allow it.

Think about it - if you were a smoker, you can't smoke on the plane or carry lighters. You can't smoke when you land. And you go to your hotel and can't smoke there either. Sure, it's great motivation to quit, but really. A hotel is supposed to be your home when you're not at home. They go out of their way to make you feel like home. And they won't let you do one of your highest priority activities you do several times a day.

I would not like to lose that segment of the market.

By the way, I am allergic to smoke. However, I am very much into statistics and this seems off the hip like a very bad idea affecting profits.

Ugh. Don't get me started on this one. I'm still trying to comprehend what the new FourPoints pinwheel is hoped by some Marketing genius to convey!

Wheeeeee! We're fun! Free balloons! Bring the kiddies!

;)

but let me tell you - smokers NEED to smoke and they will not stay in a hotel that does not allow it.


What about all the non-smokers who don't stay at hotels because they cannot get non-smoking rooms confirmed prior to arrival?

I know this has effected my decision before.