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Marriott plugs rebranded 'Bonvoy' rewards program amid some consumer confusion

The made-up word could mean anything
By Adrianne Pasquarelli. Published on February 20, 2019.

Marriott is attempting to further educate consumers on Bonvoy, its new rewards program, with a new ad campaign that comes as some consumers express confusion about the name change on social media.

Ads spell out all the possibilities of the made-up word. In a 60-second spot, travelers use "Bonvoy" in a variety of situations—swimming, skiing, commenting on good wine or a good meal, doing yoga and winning at chess. At the end of the spot, a voiceover says, "Discover the new language of travel."

Marriott first introduced Bonvoy last month after folding its Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Starwood brands into one loyalty program in August.

The new campaign, which was created by Marriott's internal team with outside agency Observatory Marketing, will include TV spots directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. It will roll out across channels including digital, print, mobile, out-of-home and cinema. This is the first time Marriott, which has 30 hotel brands, worked with Observatory, according to a spokesman for the chain.

"Our aim is to build awareness for Marriott Bonvoy and to inspire more people to travel," said Karin Timpone, global marketing officer for Marriott International, in a statement.

Yet some consumers appear confused at the name change.

Bonvoy's rollout follows Marriott's disclosure in late 2018 of a data breach—what the New York Times reported as the largest in history—in which 383 million customer records were hacked.

Also on Wednesday, Marriott announced it has entered a multi-year partnership with Manchester United Football Club. The deal includes a series of global marketing activations.

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Adrianne Pasquarelli

A reporter with Ad Age since 2015, Adrianne Pasquarelli covers the marketing strategies of retailers and financial institutions. She joined Ad Age after a dozen years of writing for Crain's New York Business, where she also focused on the retail industry. Over the course of her career, she has won awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, the National Association of Real Estate Editors and the Jesse H. Neal Awards.

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