Can A Half Century-Plus Old Brand Maintain Its Cachet? Operators Betting On It with Significant Growth During Economic Downturn
At a time when the word “environmental” was just another dictionary entry, Laurance Rockefeller, a grandson of the oil tycoon, created RockResorts, a forerunner of the eco-tourism movement. Resorts like Caneel Bay and Little Dix Bay in the Caribbean pioneered “green” travel, though it was not even large enough to be considered a movement.
But over the last decades, the RockResorts brand was purchased by a number of owners – some who sought to maintain its integrity, others who simply allowed the name to stagnate. Then in 2001, Vail Resorts, which operates the ski operations on five Western mountains (including Vail and Breckenridge), bought the name. While they spent the first years regrouping, they have now moved aggressively to open a number of new resorts – including a return to the Northeast (Stowe, Vermont) and the first city hotel (Hotel Tempo in Miami).
But is it possible to resurrect a brand, many of whose early guests are gone and a new generation of travelers who are unfamiliar with the name at all? Stan Brown, president of RockResorts; and Paul Toner, vice president-sales and marketing, spent some time with LT360 talking about this born-again brand.
New Image for May Fair London via You Tube & Paris Hilton?
After $150 million renovation The May Fair seeks to generate a new image by creating its own YouTube channel, welcoming celebrities, and offering a “Suite” Year for $585,000.
From his name to his suit and tie, Charles P. Oak seems the quintessential London hotel manager – which he has been for many years. But in stewarding the May Fair through a $150 million renovation – completed in 2006 -- Oak has sought to redefine the property, in the ritzy Mayfair neighborhood, and to create a buzz.
The YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/themayfair) allows the hotel, says Oak, “to show a whole other dimension of the hotel. We can freshen it every day.” Currently, the channel features Oak’s interview with Ms. Hilton (facing each other across a couch); an interview with Myke Gray, a former rock star who is the hotel’s personal trainer; tours of the suites and more.
“When people think of five-star London hotels,” says Oak, ”they tend to think of the same old same old. We want them to think differently.”
Despite the global financial crisis, says Oak, “We are maintaining occupancy of more than 90 percent and the last quarter looks very positive” -- this despite the fact that half of the hotel’s business is from the U.S.
We could not resist sharing the World's Most Unusual Restaurants post in AOL News February 15. They are not all luxury, and some have a slightly risque' flavor. So here is the url .
What Makes It Unique:
Ithaa -- which means "pearl" -- sits five meters below sea level in the Indian Ocean. The aquarium-style restaurant allows you to take in 360 degree views of reef and marine life. The restaurant is small (only seats 12) and children are only allowed at lunch, if at all.
In her best-selling 2007 book, Deluxe-How Luxury Lost Its Luster, Dana Thomas, who has been cultural and fashion writer for Newsweek in Paris for 12 years, offers important insights on new directions in luxury goods marketing, and a few nuggets for Luxury travel marketers.
".....Tycoons like to boast that their companies aren't brands, they are lifestyles. And their creative directors/designers are today's ultimate arbiters of taste. If they can dress you and your home, why shouldn't they envelop you on vacation, too?"
From there, Thomas takes us through Versace's first hotel venture in 2000, Palazzao Versace in Australia, and a plan for to roll out 14 more including a Dubai opening in 2009. The parade of luxury hotel brands with luxury goods parentage, including Bulgari, Armani, Ferragamo, continues.
Meanwhile, the $157 billion luxury goods business is undergoing a transformation--"going mass, " Thomas says. The democratization of luxury goods is here to stay, but what about those hotel brands? They are certainly dancing to a different tune, some even eschewing the business traveler.
Now that we know how WOM works and who’s working it, what can you do to tap into the Power of WOM?
* Engage in “on-line reputation management,” says Henry Harteveldt, with Forrester Research and a highly respected Internet travel observer. He explains, “You don’t have to deny anything that’s bad, but look at it in the aggregate. If there is a consistent negative pattern, it’s time to think about whether you’re guilty of over-promising or under-delivering.”
Melissa Bradley’s On My Mind message in the Sept-Oct issue of Indagare—family focused travel--just happened to be what was on my mind as I reviewed some of the most recent surveys on consumer travel behavior in a struggling economy.
In the November 3rd issue, covering the Latest Quarterly Survey from American Express Publishing/Harrison Group on Affluence and Wealth in America, is a most informative visit to spending in a troubled economy.
One thing that struck us, as we listened to the October 2 presentation, was how the term affluent covered so much territory - There is “ Bedrocks” Affluent, “Upper Middle Class” Affluent, “Pinnacle” Affluent, “Super” Affluent and finally, just plain Wealthy – all together, some 20 million households.
Nat Ives, in Ad Age Online Sept 6, cites new data from Ipsos MMR which assures that well-off readers read print publications just as much now as they did 5 years ago.
Also, survey respondents making more than $100,000 annually said their average hours online had grown to 22.1 each week from 10.7, while the time they said they spent watching TV sunk to 18.6 hours from 23.7 in the 2003 survey. Read the full Ives story at http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=130685. Lux 360 attended the client briefing this week and will provide additional perspective in our Sept. 30 issue, interviewing Ipsos MMR President Bob Shullman.
Imagination Marketing 
