Probably the best known advertising catch-phrase for any accommodation chain is the bi-line "And we'll leave the light on for you" by Tom Bodett a man that has injected his deadpan delivered, irrelevant humour into the voice of Motel 6 for over 25 years.
With the economy still in the doldrums, there is a trend for companies to promote their strength in longevity and consistency. Anniversary campaigns are worth celebrating and can connect with consumers.
According to the New York Times:
"Anniversary campaigns are part of a trend inspired by the economy that could be called comfort marketing, as advertisers invoke misty, water-colored memories of the past to woo consumers into buying products in the present.
A major aspect of comfort marketing is what brand managers call authenticity: reminding shoppers who seek value in the provenance of merchandise to suggest a product is worth buying because its quality has been tested for decades.
“Understanding the value of a dollar has rushed back to the forefront” of consumer considerations, said Lance Miceli, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at the Accor North America division of Accor, which owns Motel 6.
As a result, he added, the brand’s promise of “a clean, comfortable room for the lowest price of any national chain” has become “as valued today as it was in 1962.”
Tom Bodett that started off promoting Motel 6 in radio commercials in 1986, is the voice behind their latest multi-media campaign of Motel 6 that celebrates "Fifty years and the light’s still on.”
