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Marriott Bonvoy is going the distance on social media to market its partnerships with major live events and franchises, such as F1, the NFL, and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour.
The hotel brand’s loyalty program leaned on social media and creator marketing to spread word of these partnerships, which serve to highlight Marriott as a hotel destination for travelers to such events.
According to Lucy Kemmitz, senior director of social media at Marriott Bonvoy, the brand’s social strategy is a “multi-pronged approach,” she said speaking on stage at ADWEEK’s Social Media Week event on Tuesday.
“We make sure that we’re bringing in creators and influencers to be able to speak to the product in a way that resonates with the audiences we want to attract,” she said.
Tapping audience insights
When operating on social, Marriott Bonvoy prioritizes “nurturing and building community and relationships with [our] audience” by mining insights to help it understand more deeply why its consumers are staying at its hotels, Kemmitz said.
It then uses those insights to find the right creators to partner with and tailors its messaging according to their personas. “Having someone who the audiences know is really invested in your brand makes a difference,” she said.
Kemmitz said Marriott Bonvoy also maintains a “constant pulse” of conversation with its partners throughout the year to ensure messaging is aligned and on brand.
Community managers at the core
Marriott Bonvoy strives to keep its creator partnerships going beyond the initial collab.
“If you were to go look at our feed, you’ll see a repetition of creators because there are some that are truly invested in the brand and know how to speak about our products, services, offerings, [and] programs in a way that is different to how we might say it as a brand,” said Kemmitz.
Community managers sit at the center of creating these durable and ongoing creator relationships. Kemmitz said people in these roles ensure “that we’re not just having a one-and-done conversation” with creators.
She emphasized the importance of community managers having a deep understanding of the brand, as they are often “first line to your brand.”
“They’re the ones that are representing your brand,” said Kemmitz. “You want to make sure you’ve got someone who understands the brand and is mature enough to know how to handle a complicated situation with a guest or customer online.”
