SPECIAL REPORT : SOCIAL HOTEL AWARDS
BEST USE OF DIGITAL VIDEO
BY BRAND
ITC HOTELS , Gurgaon , India
DESCRIPTION : ITC Hotels introduced a video blog where original videos were filmed and published expressly for the ITC Hotels Lifestyle and Travel blog — WelcomZest Lounge . The videos were crafted to capture the cuisines , moods and ingredients used by the chefs at ITC Hotels , to engage food connoisseurs and generate awareness about ITC Hotels ’ food and beverage offerings . Each chef ’ s table video was supported with a blog post with details on the food prepared as well as an exclusive recipe and preparation specifications of the dish being showcased .
RESULTS : Videos were uploaded to YouTube , Twitter and Facebook . Over 1,300 views
JUDGES ’ COM- MENTS : “ Video can be tricky as it can come across very amateur , but ITC did a good job of creating high-quality content .” on YouTube and numerous comments were received .
BY PROPERTY
TRUMP INTERNATIONAL BEACH RESORT – MIAMI , Sunny Isles Beach , Florida
DESCRIPTION : The hotel decided to expand its digital media beyond property tours and began actively listening to guests to create videos that responded to guests ’ most favorable experiences , providing insights on how to duplicate them in their own homes .
RESULTS : The property uploaded the content to YouTube and shared the content across social media platforms including Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest and Google +. It typically produced one video a month , which averaged 600 views .
JUDGES ’ COMMENTS : “ Good , engaging videos to provide tips to the viewer .”
A chef video from ITC Hotels on YouTube
BEST USE OF FOURSQUARE
BY BRAND
STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE
DESCRIPTION : Starwood ’ s loyalty program , Starwood Preferred Guest , targeted global frequent travelers with a Foursquare integration program to drive enrollment and awareness . Starwood created a site where members could link their loyalty program and Foursquare accounts to facilitate rewarding designated check-in behaviors on Foursquare check-ins .
RESULTS : Starwood gained 8,000 new Foursquare followers as a result of the campaign , and monthly Foursquare check-ins across all hotels rose 92 %.
RUNNER-UP : The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co ., Chevy Chase , Maryland
JUDGES ’ COMMENTS : “ This is an example of a brand showing vision and accomplishing something that 99.9 % of hotels simply couldn ’ t pull off .”
26 HOTELS September 2012 www . hotelsmag . com