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  • Relaunching in Crowded Marketplace

Relaunching a Hotel In a Crowded Marketplace The Clinton Hotel And Spa, Miami Beach

Situation Analysis

In a market already crowded with hip, boutique hotels and big marketing budgets, the challenge was to set the Clinton Hotel & Spa apart from its many South Beach competitors and put it on the national map with a limited marketing budget and no prior branding support.
 

Objectives

  • Establish a strategic position to leverage the hotel's unique design elements that would appeal most to its key market segments and create a "buzz"
  • Generate inquiries and room reservations, especially mid - week and off season
  • Impact niche markets , especially romance, design, gay/lesbian, and a young demographic
  • Build awareness of the hotel among target markets.
 

Positioning

Located in South Beach, Florida, a U.S. fashion capital, KWE Partners wanted to evoke a sense of hip style by emphasizing the fashion background of the Clinton's owner, its French interior designer, and its dramatic design elements such as corset lacing on the furniture and mirrors, transparent glass corner walls in the bathroom and room signs celebrating the female form. Our positioning was: The newly designed Clinton Hotel and Spa is a 1930's Art Deco gem in the heart of Miami's South Beach fashion and entertainment district. A seductive, sensual hideaway with a French twist, the 88-room one-of-a-kind playground was designed by Parisian Eric Raffy and owned by "fashionista" Simon Nemni.
 

Tactics

  • Develop seductive hotel package themes, facilities and services that play off the marketing positioning including a signature package, "Naughty but Nice." This unique package included a sensual minibar complete with Kama Sutra products and aphrodisiac snacks, the first ever room service lingerie menu with silk robes and teddys, and sweethearts conversation piece candies at turndown.
  • Reach out to local not-for-profit organizations to develop joint marketing promotions. The most exciting were a tie-in with the Bass Museum's exhibit of Picasso's erotic works and a sponsorship of Gen Art's international fashion design competition.
  • Establish a close relationship with the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce to host select events at the hotel.
  • Work closely with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to host visiting media.
  • Stage two annual media trips with press from feeder and niche markets, especially New York metro, bridal, design, and gay/lesbian media
  • Develop special reader offers for magazines ranging from Marie Claire and Genre, to Travel + Leisure and Delta Sky to build off-season business.
  • Give special emphasis to placements in design media whose articles could be showcased on the hotel's website.
 

Results

The Clinton regularly made national and local news ranging from USA Today and the Wall Street Journal, to the New York Times, Ocean Drive, Genre, Bride's and MTV reality show, "8th and Ocean," as well as major features in Hospitality Design and the 'Home & Design' section of the Miami Herald. Most importantly, the Clinton enjoyed occupancy and room rates that were among the highest in its market.