PUBLIC RELATIONS
Consumer PR Initiatives
Volunteers participated at the Memphis Shared Services Center and around the country delivering care packages to traveling troops and military families at USO airport centers in Denver, San Francisco, Phoenix, Nashville and Houston. More than 30 Homewood Suites and Hilton Worldwide team members assembled 500 care packages delivered by Homewood Suites volunteers in each of the five cities on July 31st to surprise traveling military families.
Results included over 278 million media impressions, 135 media placements and 975+ USO Facebook post likes.
USO "Make a Travel Moment" Campaign
KidzVuz NYC Blogger Familiarization Trip
In an effort to promote brand trial and increase recognition of Homewood Suites amongst family travelers, specifically the amenities/services that provide added value; Homewood Suites by Hilton Midtown Manhattan hosted eight influential mom/dad bloggers from across the U.S. The program featured a moderated breakfast to discuss family travel trends and tips, and also included a post-stay reader giveaway. Results include over 780,000 media impressions; 298,000 social media impressions with over 5,000 contest entries for the reader giveaway.
Home2 - 50 Acts of Kindness
To celebrate the opening of Home2 Suites’ 50th property and say thank you to the communities that our hotels call home, the brand executed a portfolio-wide coordinated service day on May 21, with the spotlight event being held in Austin, TX (site of the 50th hotel). Each hotel and its staff invited guests to participate and the initiative was an extension of the brand’s Your2 Hands program, which enables Home2 Suites team members to make a difference in the communities where they live and work.
•87 million impressions
•175 placements
•700+ volunteers
Home Cooked Meals
Homewood Suites wants to highlight a key extended-stay differentiator, the fully-equipped kitchen, by launching a first-of-its-kind partnership with a meal kit delivery service, PeachDish, to offer guests the ability to prepare a turnkey, wholesome meal in the comfort of their room.
Partnering with PeachDish, Homewood Suites will create a program that allows guests to purchase the service at a discounted rate. The three-month pilot will be supported in a variety of ways, including blogger partnerships, targeted media outreach, email marketing, social media and the Extended Stay Touch program.
Suite Travel Guarantee
Kicking-off with a national survey, Homewood and Home2 Suites will determine what travelers’ pressure points are, and what can be done to alleviate stressful travel. Survey results will be leveraged for media fodder, and be used to influence the creation of a “Suite Travel Guarantee Care Package” to be distributed at a select U.S. airport during the holiday travel season. The goal is to increase awareness of Homewood and Home2 Suites’ culture of service by offering travelers a welcomed travel-themed care package designed to provide needed relief during high-stress travel periods.
Feel the Burn
To increase sentiment that Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites are a “home away from home” by providing guests discounted access to one of the hottest fitness studios/group workouts in the country, Orange Theory (300+ locations). Homewood and Home2 Suites to launch a three-month pilot program offering guests discounted equipment (required heart rate monitors) or class packages. Program will be supported in a variety of ways, including blogger partnerships, targeted media outreach, email marketing and a social media support campaign.
Development PR Initiatives
Home2 Downtown Atlanta Hard-Hat Tour
Coordinated hard hat tour of soon to open Home2 Downtown Atlanta property, timed with the Hunter Hotel conference to capitalize on visiting national media. Tour was preceded by national distribution of infographic depicting Hilton’s extended stay brands’ growing urban footprint to set the stage for the event.
Homewood Suites Latin America Launch
Raise awareness of Homewood Suites’/extended-stay value proposition amongst Latin American-based hotel developers, showcase customized prototype and demonstrate brand’s thought leadership on the creation of flexible building models tailored to a specific market. Utilize a multi-pronged campaign, including: Industry conference support, dedicated LatAm content creation, LatAm media focused FAM trip to prototype model room. Results include over 2 million media impressions, 10 feature placements as well as three speaking opportunities.
Industry Conference Support
CHRIS/HOLA conference – Miami, April 29-30
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Ian Carter featured panelist
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Secured publication of Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald feature on HWS LatAm launch timed with conference to reach visiting influential developers.
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Coordinated backgrounder media opportunities for Ted Middleton/Bill Duncan, which resulted in:
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Mercado de Dinero article announcing launch published in the U.S., Mexican, Columbian and Peruvian editions, among other trade coverage
SAHIC – Peru, September 28-29
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Ted Middleton and Bill Duncan featured panelist; coordinating backgrounder interviews
ULI Latin American Conference – Miami, October 29-30
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Bill Duncan featured panelist
Latin America Familiarization Trip
Securing 4-8 LatAm based-media and key U.S. trades to Miami for Homewood brand immersion experience
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Timed with ULI Latin American Conference (October 29-30) to maximize media attendance
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Hosting at HWS Miami Blue Lagoon property (recently completed Take Flight renovation)
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Tours of LatAm model room and pending Miami/Brickell HWS property (opening slated for 4Q 2015) to showcase urban model
Current confirmed media include:
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Forbes Mexico
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MGM Latino
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InLan (inflight magazine for Lan Airlines)
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AAHOA