Special RepoRt : Social Hotel awardS
Best use oF Visual networks
Conrad Hotels & Resorts posts photos to Instagram to increase awareness about the brand ’ s “ smart luxury .” Pictured : Conrad Koh Samui .
By property
By Brand
( tie ) Conrad Hotels & resorts , Four seasons Hotels and resorts
desCription : This year , both Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Four Seasons brands tied for the top spot for their use of visual networks . Conrad wanted to raise awareness of its hotels “ smart luxury ” and focused on building momentum via Instagram . The goal was to increase engagement and overall awareness by “ re-gramming ” guests ’ photos and complimenting their photography skills by calling out their handles .“ This kind of two-way street brings awareness to our brand and exposure for the influencer ,” says Stuart Foster , vice president of global marketing for luxury and lifestyle brands at Hilton Worldwide . “ All of this helps to drive high levels of brand engagement and loyalty and since launch , we ’ ve continuously evolved and optimized our social strategies .” Recognizing a demand for rejuvenation and revitalization among its fast-paced guests , Four Seasons created a spa and F & B campaign to offer solution fro re-energizing . # 30DaysofEnergy was a month-long daily wellness challenge on Instagram designed to increase engagement with guests as well as showcase wellness offerings .
“ Guiding social media audiences along this journey – as well as showcasing actionable tips from Four Seasons experts around the world – helped solidify Four Seasons as a thought leader in the wellness space and showcased our exceptional health-promoting offerings at properties across the globe ,” says Sorya Gaulin , director of global corporate public relations and social media for Four Seasons . results : Conrad ’ s initial goal was to grow its Instagram audience by 30 %, and the platform ultimately grew a total of 106 % in 2014 . At press time , the brand ’ s hashtag , # ConradHotels , has been used a 2,374 times .
During its # 30DaysofEnergy campaign , Four Seasons reported 52,486 Instagram engagements , an increase of 5,280 Instagram followers and a spa and fitness revenue increase of 8 %.
runner-up : Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
( tie ) Grand Hyatt new york , waldorF astoria new york
desCription : Both Grand Hyatt New York and Waldorf Astoria New York tied for their use of visual networks at the property level . As part of Grand Hyatt ’ s social media strategy , the hotel ’ s social media team targeted travelers on Instagram at all points of their travel journey – discovery , planning , trip anticipation , during visit and post-visit . The hotel aimed to reach a target demographic of both group and leisure travelers in key feeder markets around the U . S .“ Our goal is to offer useful , informative content to optimize every guest experience ,” says Paula Ilabaca , marketing and communications manager , at Grand Hyatt New York . “ For example , if a guest says they are excited for their up coming stay for a wedding anniversary , we can take the opportunity to locate their reservation and have something special waiting in the room .”
Waldorf Astoria New York also utilized Instagram to appeal to guests . Content included high-quality images that tell the story of the property , from the guest ’ s perspective as well as the hotel itself . In addition , the # waldorfmoment campaign encourages guests to share photos via Instagram of their “ authentic moments ” at the hotel .
“ My dream is that the campaign will inspire people who wouldn ’ t post on their own to share their # waldorfmoment on social media ,” saiys Melissa Howard , social media manager for Waldorf Astoria New York . results : Grand Hyatt New York surpassed its initial 2014 goal of reaching 1,000 Instagram followers by 56 %, ending the year with 1,563 followers . Additionally , total number of likes reached 7,794 on photos posted , 160 % more than the goal of 3,000 likes by year end .
Walforf Astoria New York reported a reach of more than 610,00 users and 37,249 impressions . All 26 Waldorf Astoria properties spanning 12 countries around the world have adopted # waldormoment as their official hashtag . runner-up : St . Regis Bal Harbour Resort , Florida
26 HOTELS October 2015 www . hotelsmag . com