We've done a post or two on accommodation properties using video in their marketing mix and have recently featured one of our favourite accommodation chains, Wego Motels that have taken this art form to an extreme new level. This quirky and crazy Taiwanese accommodation chain have taken the hottest trend in online marketing and ramped it up to another level by producing obscure, soft-porn mini-movies...
Back in the real world, most travel marketers aren't pushing the envelope to that extreme and are successfully using 90-second video grabs to feature the attributes of motels and hotels. Some efforts are better than others and the trick is to capture the unique points of difference of properties that are appealing and will hold an audience's attention.
Video has the ability to deliver that "storytelling" aspect to marketing that can positively influence booking decisions. Consumers are basically lazy and if compelling information can be delivered with a touch of a play button, this puts accommodation providers with video at a distinct advantage.
How do we know? Because 89% of travel shoppers stated that travel related online video influenced their travel purchase decisions (PhoCusWright, 2008).
We see that our Facebook friends, Copthorne Hotel Commodore that are situated near the Christchurch Airport have just launched a new innovative promo video for 2011 that we reckon works very well for them.
One unwritten rule in the accommodation industry is that you never advertise that you are "old" You are always supposed to be up-to-the-minute, fresh and never look back. So why would the Copthorne Hotel Commodore incorporate flash-backs to the 70's; an era where fashion died?
The home movie style flashbacks show that the hotel is up-front about being an established property that opened in the early 70s and as the haunting soundtrack suggests "we've seen many worlds since then."
The video engages the viewer in a unique story of an iconic Christchurch hotel by selling the message that the Copthorne Hotel Commodore has moved with the times and can deliver modern day expectations of product and service.
This video promo gets the Motella thumbs-up for taking a risk, being understated and very cool.
Tomahawk
