Cookerly Gives Starwood Hotels & Resorts the Star Treatment

Overview

One of the largest hospitality companies in the world, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. wanted its family of hotel properties to “stand out” in the Atlanta market and gain market share. Its primary brands in Atlanta included Westin, Sheraton and the W Hotel was the newest brand.

Objectives

With numerous hotels throughout the Atlanta region vying for customers in an increasingly competitive market, Cookerly Public Relations was retained to create and execute public relations and marketing programs for seven Atlanta properties to increase visibility for Starwood and individual brands, position local management as industry experts and enhance visibility/reputation for the Sheraton, Westin and new W brands. Additionally, a major objective was to generate revenue for individual properties as a result of top-of-mind awareness and promotion of hotel programs. Properties represented included: The Westin Peachtree Plaza, The Westin Atlanta North, W Atlanta, Sheraton Buckhead Atlanta, Sheraton Colony Square, Sheraton Suites Galleria and Sheraton Gateway Atlanta Airport. Currently, Cookerly is promoting the Sheraton Gateway Hotel Atlanta Airport and executing a program to target meeting planners, conventions and transient travelers.

Strategy and Tactics

Because of the unique individual/branding needs of diverse properties, Cookerly created customized programs for each hotel which included:

• Media relations - Relationships with area travel and hospitality reporters were cultivated to ensure continuous coverage of the hotels. Hotel news was delivered to consumer and trade media via press releases, press kits, media events and personal meetings/calls.
• Marketing support - The agency developed diverse programs to support hotel marketing plans including: travel packages for weddings, family reunions and leisure getaways; community outreach programs with area public schools and charitable organizations; hotel newsletters; promotional programs targeted to area conventions; a special incentives program for area residential realtors and more.
• Events – Creative media events were well-attended, introducing innovative restaurants/themes at the W Hotel and other properties.
• Support for corporate initiatives – Cookerly executed media and marketing support programs/events for the launch of Westin’s Heavenly Bed, the Heavenly Shower and the Heavenly Crib. Starwood President Ted Darnall hosted a media briefing at Westin’s Peachtree Plaza Hotel for the new product launch.

Results

Consistent press coverage was generated in the local, regional and national media - consumer and trade - as a result of Cookerly’s proactive efforts. From June 1999 through September 2000, approximately 100 placements were obtained, with an audience reach of more than 18 million and an advertising equivalency of nearly $2.25 million. The agency secured placements for hotel programs in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal Interactive, Investor’s Business Daily and HospitalityNet.com, in addition to widespread regional consumer and trade media coverage.

For the Westin Heavenly Bed initiative, the agency’s press conference and media contact work resulted in more than 10 print and television mentions, including an on-location live segment at The Westin Peachtree Plaza for FOX’s Good Day Atlanta, the top-rated independent morning show in the country. The agency also secured coverage for Westin’s Heavenly Shower and Heavenly Crib in Atlanta.

As a result of establishing a consistent and valid information pipeline to the media, the agency was called on consistently by hospitality industry media to recommend industry experts for trend and background information.