Hospitality Breaking NewsAiming to introduce the brand to new customers, AVANI Hotels & Resorts adopted an outreach marketing strategy to engage with travellers, instead of marketing at them. The campaign, named AVANIme, is a wired-in experience for modern explorers, giving insight into local culture, cool hotspots and travel tips about urban cities and in some cases, off-the-beaten track destinations. Alejandro Bernabe, Vice President AVANI Hotels & Resorts said: “We understand that travel isn’t only about where you stay. It’s also about experiencing the destination and AVANI aims to help travellers navigate cities like the locals and who better to show them the inside scoop than a hometown celebrity.”
A series of #24HRSWITHME Youtube videos are being filmed with local well known personalities. The first video featuring Thai-American model, actress and entertainer, Cindy Bishop, best known for hosting Asia’s Next Top Model, was shot at AVANI Riverside Bangkok Hotel and in and around Bangkok. The video features Siam Discovery – a lifestyle concept mall, the avant garde Erawan Museum, the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho and an insider’s peak of Chinatown’s gin bars, hole-in-the-wall speakeasies and fantastic street food.
AVANI has also invited other celebrities such as Lisbon Fado Singer, Cuca Roseta to share her favourite city hangouts on #24HRSWITHME. Other cities to be featured will be Auckland, New Zealand and Gold Coast, Australia.
“Social media plays an integral role in the travel process. From reading blog reviews of where to stay, to checking in on Facebook and posting envy inducing images on Instagram – our guests are wired in before, during and after their vacation. We hope that AVANIme brings us closer to travellers, allowing us to serve their needs better and to give travellers what they really want – social and shareworthy content,” adds Bernabe.
A series of creative online and offline motifs have also been developed to express through imagery and words, the creative and playful character of AVANI. These adverts are featured in travel magazines, online and on the brand’s social media channels.
In addition, AVANI partnered with well-known travel bloggers from Germany, Australia, Portugal and Thailand. These well-travelled influencers have journeyed to Vietnam, Portugal, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Followers feel as if they’re travelling alongside each travel blogger, as their posts are beautifully descriptive and their photographs capture the essence of their experiences. Each journey offers true insights into the culture, cuisine and character of the people.
With the opening of its first Residences in Auckland New Zealand, AVANI Metropolis Auckland Residences partnered with Facebook to enable guests to scan a Facebook Messenger code on their hotel room key, instantly opening up a Facebook chat anytime, anywhere. A local guide then tips guests off to the experiences they won’t find in a travel brochure.
Bernabe concludes, “By collaborating with local celebrities, travel writers, photographers and magazines we are able to tell our brand story in a manner which is relevant to our audience – or to reach a new audience. It has been exhilarating to work with magazines and personalities who have an affinity for the brand’s more youthful expression and it has provided us with an interesting way to engage with consumers.”
AVANI has also launched a dedicated AVANI YouTube channel and AVANIme webpage which is a canvas for all the different elements of the campaign. A new brand video has also been created, reflecting AVANI’s experiential approach.