Watch Marriott Bonvoy’s first campaign from Wieden+Kennedy

Marriott Bonvoy is unveiling its first brand platform from Wieden+Kennedy New York after the agency won the account about a year ago. The new global campaign “Travel Shapes Us,” is meant to inspire would-be travelers by highlighting certain travel trends for their transformative power. Bonvoy is Marriott International’s loyalty program, and the marketing covers its range of hotel brands, including Fairfield Inn, Courtyard, Westin and more. “We found through the pandemic that people today are really placing travel as core to their identity—it’s what helps define them and their lifestyle,” said Peggy Roe, executive VP and chief customer officer at Marriott. “We want to make this campaign about our consumers and what travel provides for them and what the role Marriott Bonvoy plays in helping shape people.” She added that following pandemic lockdowns, consumers have been prioritizing travel spending and experiences, such as going overseas to see a Taylor Swift concert. Marriott has also been investing in such experiences—it offered Bonvoy loyalty members a chance to get concert tickets to Swift’s Eras Tour last year, and this week promoted a similar offering for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour. The first 30-second spot, called “You Are the Greatest Souvenir,” shows a woman in different travel scenarios; with each, her experience becomes a memorable souvenir. “Everywhere you go with Marriott Bonvoy shapes you,” a voiceover says. Other shorter spots focus on specific trends, such as dining, traveling with a family and outdoor experiences. Fleur Fortuné directed the commercials. Roe noted that 83% of Bonvoy members recently said they were interested in outdoor travel; more than 60% said they would prefer it to be more accessible than rugged camping. “Our campaign is about fundamentally when you choose to travel, it can shape who you are in your life and my mission as chief customer officer is to build customers for life,” said Roe, adding that she’s “thinking long haul.” She contrasted that with other hoteliers that solely rely on price or certain services as differentiators in marketing. Data-Driven Marketing Playbook Join us May 22 in NYC to explore how data powers marketing Learn more here Out-of-home ads began rolling out this week. The videos will appear during the men’s and women’s Final Four basketball games this weekend; ads will also run on connected TV services such as Netflix and Hulu. Marriott’s bespoke Publicis agency handled media duties. The hotelier began working with Wieden after a pitch last year. It previously worked with a host of agencies including 72andSunny. Wieden is now Marriott Bonvoy’s creative platform partner, handling strategy, messaging and broad brand platforms that local agencies around the globe will ladder up to in future campaigns.

Watch Marriott Bonvoy’s first campaign from Wieden+Kennedy

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