The Wedgewood Hotel & Spa is an independently-owned luxury hotel located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. A boutique gem among hospitality giants such as the Rosewood, Trump, and Fairmont, the property prides itself in its classic European ambiance and warm, personable service.
PROBLEM
With over 55% of hotel bookings made through online travel agents such as Expedia or Booking.com, a key to maintaining financial sustainability is generating revenue not subject to commissions. Driving this direct revenue is a goal consistent across all branding and marketing efforts.
As Sales & Marketing Assistant, I was responsible for designing and executing marketing campaigns for the sales initiatives determined by the Revenue team. For the 2018 Holiday Season, the Hotel offered several Christmas and New Years packages, as well as special dinner and drink menus for each occasion.
Due to the large amount of information being conveyed to the audience, I needed to ensure that our touch points were delicate yet purposeful to retain engagement and prevent fatigue.
SOLUTION
To do so, I set out to design a campaign which would capitalize on established brand recognition to present relevant, easily-digestible information.
The Campaign Funnel:
Working with a digital agency, I designed ad copies for display, and remarketing advertisements showcasing the Wedgewood’s unique seasonal decor. These banners served to enter our brand into the viewers evoked set and direct them to our landing page. These display ads utilized a colour palette and design language consistent with other campaign collateral.
The campaign’s landing page was branded the “Festive Desk”. This term was already established, having been used for email and phone inquires in previous years. By expanding it, I ensured uniformity between all channels which minimized confusion and created a cohesive experience.
When building the Festive Desk page, I designed three sections for simple navigation: Events (grouped by occasion), contact information, and shortcuts:
Each event had a specific call-to-action which converted visits into room booking and/or restaurant reservations. Phrases such as “Book now!” and “Don’t miss out” were used to create urgency, along with limited quantity warnings when appropriate.
RESULTS
The 2018 Holiday Season campaign was executed throughout December, consisting of digital advertisements, two email campaigns, and several website enhancements to drive visits to the Festive Desk landing page. Throughout this one-month span, it produced:
- 2,180 unique sessions
- Over $9,400 in direct room revenue when landing on the Festive Desk page
- An increase of 27% in overall website revenue vs. LY
Furthermore, the campaign contributed to the most successful holiday season for Bacchus Restaurant in recent memory, selling out every special event hosted.