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Marriott buying good publicity for Bonvoy

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Old Mar 7, 2019, 5:26 pm
  #1  
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Marriott buying good publicity for Bonvoy

You'll love this.

Marriott's PR firm is trying to buy good publicity for Bonvoy.

So, any insanely positive pieces you read about Marriott's Bonvoy in April is likely a result of this:

Hi [redacted],

Available to go to Hong Kong in April? On behalf of Marriott Bonvoy, I’d like to invite you to experience the endless inspiration Marriott Bonvoy provides members during an exclusive trip to Hong Kong, from April 3th – 8th (including travel days).

As a guest of Marriott during the 5-day trip, you’ll travel like a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, with VIP concerts and sporting events, dine at Michelin starred restaurants, and explore the city with Marriott Activities. Our rough itinerary is included below.

Let me know if this is something you’d be interested in covering – we would need confirmation from an editor at a top-tier national outlet for two articles describing your experience (can be within travel, sports, culinary or entertainment focuses). Hotel, food, and experience costs will be covered. Media spots are extremely limited, so we will be reserving spots on a first come first serve basis. Happy to work with you on any story angles you want to explore.

Thanks,

[redacted]

Wednesday, April 3
  • Travel day depending on flight time
Thursday, April 4
  • Arrive in Hong Kong, stay at the Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel
  • Afternoon:
  •  
    • Spa experience at the hotel
  • Evening:
  •  
    • Dinner at the hotel
Friday, April 5
  • Morning:
  •  
    • Leisure Time/Marriott Activity
  • Afternoon:
  •  
    • Lunch at Michelin star restaurant Tin Lung Heen at The Ritz Carlton
    • Local food blogger tour, Marriott Activity, Aqua Luna harbor cruise, or leisure time
  • Evening:
  •  
    • Dinner at local restaurant
    • VIP Gwen Stefani concert at the Central Harbourfront Event Space
Saturday, April 6
  • Morning:
  •  
    • Leisure Time/Marriott Activity
  • Afternoon:
  •  
    • VIP Hong Kong Seven rugby game, and meet & greet with the US rugby team
  • Evening:
  •  
    • Dinner at local restaurant
Sunday, April 7
  • Leisure Time/Marriott Activity depending on departing flight time
hockeyinsider is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2019, 5:36 pm
  #2  
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Looks like they sent that to a freelance writer/blogger.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 5:38 pm
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They don’t even cover the cost of flights...
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 6:27 pm
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It's a press trip. It's done all the time.

Worked at our city's tourist office about 15-20 years ago, and they hosted a few of these each year.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 6:36 pm
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Originally Posted by Twickenham
It's a press trip. It's done all the time. Worked at our city's tourist office about 15-20 years ago, and they hosted a few of these each year.
only evolution is expansion of who gets trips

the good piece of information is timing of first round, add context to coverage

but as you note, it will continue and not always with leak / disclosure / etc
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 6:40 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by Twickenham
It's a press trip. It's done all the time.

Worked at our city's tourist office about 15-20 years ago, and they hosted a few of these each year.
Except this is very shady:

Let me know if this is something you’d be interested in covering – we would need confirmation from an editor at a top-tier national outlet for two articles describing your experience (can be within travel, sports, culinary or entertainment focuses). Hotel, food, and experience costs will be covered.
Except real journalists don't accept free trips.

Bloggers, like The Points Guy? Sure.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 6:45 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
Except real journalists don't accept free trips.
standard practice and plenty of (public) industry discussion of the practice

historically very few "hotel review" 'businesses' claimed to pay for their stays
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 7:25 pm
  #8  
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Shrug. This is nothing new (of any chain). Moving on.

Cheers.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 7:31 pm
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Will they also be providing guidance on the best travel credit card for me?
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 8:08 pm
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Originally Posted by Sam P. Goodman
Will they also be providing guidance on the best travel credit card for me?
Guess which BonVoy CC it will be ?
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 9:02 pm
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Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
Except this is very shady:



Except real journalists don't accept free trips.

Bloggers, like The Points Guy? Sure.
Lol. Tell that to the instagrammers that email hotels saying they deserve comp'd rooms at 5 star accommodations because they're going to feature the hotel in an instagram post. They'll shame you right out the door with how instagram is a professional occupation and how they're real and deserving of anything they ask for.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 10:45 pm
  #12  
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Originally Posted by laxmillenial
Lol. Tell that to the instagrammers that email hotels saying they deserve comp'd rooms at 5 star accommodations because they're going to feature the hotel in an instagram post. They'll shame you right out the door with how instagram is a professional occupation and how they're real and deserving of anything they ask for.
If they have enough followers, they can get a press stay too.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 11:19 pm
  #13  
 
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At least they're staying at a really nice brand new hotel.

I had a great experience last December at the Marriott Ocean Park as a Titanium. By "great experience" I mean the food and booze in the evening were extensive and lasted four hours. That's my yardstick. I mention this because for a press trip the amount and quality of free alcohol are important. The journos will need lubricating from breakfast to bedtime.

25 years ago I worked on a travel newspaper and that was how we covered everything.
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Old Mar 8, 2019, 12:46 am
  #14  
 
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Honestly this is everything that's wrong with corporate America. Ruin a great program, make it obvious to members that they don't care, and then buy good publicity so they can tell investors that a bunch of people who saw some influencers and probably never stay in hotels view Marriott Bonvoy favorably, so give the C-suite a big bonus.

This is probably way cheaper than paying to replace passports exposed in the hack so they'll throw money at this while refusing to cover replacement costs of hacked passports because that doesn't costs more.
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Old Mar 8, 2019, 1:30 am
  #15  
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Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
Except real journalists don't accept free trips.
Oh yes they do, and, as per the posts upthread, rather naïve to think otherwise.
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