- Choice Hotels International has named two new agencies of record (AOR), handing creative duties to 72andSunny New York and digital media to Dentsu X, according to a press release.
- The appointments follow a period of expansion, including the acquisition of Radisson in 2022, and arrive amid a revamp of Choice’s rewards program. Dentsu X is already devising a media plan for the rest of the 12 months, helping extend Choice’s largest ad campaign to date.
- The new agencies will work in collaboration with Choice’s in-house marketing unit while Havas Media, a long-time partner, will proceed to spearhead TV media planning and buying. Choice joins other hotel networks which have reprioritized brand constructing to win favor with travelers, particularly Gen Z and millennials.
Choice is making big changes to its agency roster following a period of expansion, including its acquisition of Radisson, to grow brand awareness. The Radisson deal, which accomplished its integration late last 12 months, is an element of Choice’s attempt to establish a stronger foothold within the upscale hospitality category, a change for the marketer historically focused on mid-range and budget-friendly options.
A more high-end positioning is an element of Choice’s largest ad campaign to date, an effort starring actor Keegan-Michael Key that debuted at first of 2024. Dentsu X helps extend the celebrity-led “A Stay for Any You” further into digital channels as a part of its AOR appointment, with more online, podcast and social media buys supporting the brand awareness push for the second half. Choice has recently began marketing to Gen Z and millennials more heavily through apps like TikTok. Meanwhile, Stagwell-owned 72andSunny is within the midst of researching and developing a new campaign expected to launch in early 2025.
“A Stay for Any You,” which features commercials co-written by Key and his partner, Elle Key, was created with McKinney, Choice’s previous creative AOR. In its hunt for new agencies, Choice focused on marketing services providers that might keep pace with fast-shifting media trends and interact a various set of consumers.
“We’re adapting to the ever-changing consumer landscape with a stronger portfolio of brands and a fresh tackle our promoting and digital strategy,” said Choice CMO Noha Abdalla in a press statement. “We’re thrilled to partner with 72andSunny, dentsu X and Havas Media to bring breakthrough creative to right guests, at the precise time and in the precise channels.”
Choice is amongst a fleet of hospitality chains which have ramped up marketing to capitalize on renewed travel appetites and falling consumer favor for home-sharing platforms that when disrupted the industry like Airbnb. Hotels are focused on loyalty programs that could be wealthy sources of first-party data that could be used to inform marketing initiatives. Choice is tweaking its own rewards program, Choice Privileges, to offer more experiences and extra ways to redeem points, the discharge said.
Choice’s agency switch may be a stepping stone to developing an promoting network as brands seek media channels enriched by first-party data. Marriott in 2022 was the primary hospitality company to crack into the media network space with an offering powered by its Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, following a monetization model retailers have popularized.
Choice owns 22 brands in total, including Radisson, Cambria Hotels, Comfort Hotels, Sleep Inn and Quality Inn. The company earlier this 12 months scrapped plans for a $7 billion acquisition of rival Wyndham.
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