In 2006, Hilton broke out of the product wars. The “Travel Should Take You Places” campaign shunned category norms and dramatically switched Hilton’s communication focus toward leveraging the less tangible but more valuable asset of the brand. At the time, it was a battle no-one else was fighting. Repositioning Hilton as an aspirational brand with values uniquely in tune with travelers showed spectacular results. 2006 Brand Differentiation increased 72% and Brand Energy increased 185%, dramatically surpassing all of Hilton’s communications objectives. One by one, competitors followed Hilton’s lead in their messaging strategy and launched their own brand campaigns. Hilton stayed right on track, looking to build on its momentum. It aimed to further the 2006 success levels in brand measurements by expanding reach (taking its message wider, to more diverse audiences) and extending that success into increases in hard revenue. In 2007, Hilton had to stay ahead of the pack.

NULL

Hilton went beyond just targeting ‘travelers’, seeking to target the type of traveler that best embodied the spirit of Hilton. To do that, it investigated personality type. Using Communigraphics™, an OMD proprietary tool, the Hilton traveler was identified as an ENTJ personality on the Myers Briggs scale, unique amongst rival hotel profiles. Their personality traits and affinity for travel identified them as ‘Discoverers,’ with focused lifestyle affinities, yet a shared desire for information/knowledge. They make up 5.6% of the US population, are primarily Adults 35-54 years old, highly educated and married with kids. Household income is $80k+, and their profile is very well connected, with many friends. They love being the center of attention, are not particularly formal and are very easy to get to know. Technology is important to them; using it is fun, not a chore. Technology plays to their vanity as they want to look cool, and most use it in ways to simplify their life.

Demographics are too blunt a tool for effective media planning. Psychographics certainly help define a target much more clearly, but Hilton took this one stage further in 2007 by isolating the shared passions and hobbies of the target group. This delivered a huge insight that steered not only media planning but creative content. It took a two-stage approach. First 4 partnered agencies (OMD, Y&R, Cohn & Wolfe and William Morris) shared and brainstormed around existing qualitative and Communigraphics™ data. The hypotheses drawn up were then run against the demographic and psychographic profiles in the MRI database. This syndicated research helped substantiate some passions and identify new ones. The result was 5 key interest areas that drove online media placement as well as shaped the creative content of the online campaign. This ensured that our messaging was perfectly tailored to the site content and therefore of keen interest to the site visitor.

Hilton believes that the very nature of travel is transformative, that travel should be an enriching experience, changing you for the better. Conrad Hilton himself believed the world would be a far better place if only man would travel to meet his fellow man, to see different cultures, understand them and learn from them. These principles and a legacy for leadership put Hilton in a unique position as the protagonist for positive travel, of all that it should be. No longer should travel be seen as a chore, just a trip from A to B. It’s a voyage of discovery, of self-enrichment. Using illustration avoids the ‘property shot’ cliché, giving a strong, cohesive identity. Emerging musicians like Nutini, Radin & Dennen maximize the appeal to a younger audience. Their unexpected liaison with Hilton again challenges old pre-conceptions. The simplicity of illustration allows viewers to see themselves in each execution and emotionally connect with universal truths about travel experiences.

MEASURING JAN-JUL ’07 AGAINST FULL YEAR ’06; • Brand Energy rose further, up 29% on BrandAsset® Valuator, the world’s largest brandscape study. • BAV showed ‘Innovative’ scores up by 26% and ‘Distinctive’ up 5% from an already high 83% in ‘06. • Paid Search CTR rose 16%. Conversion rates reached 10.3% and CPA reduced by 13%. 1 Day booking revenues rose 89%, 30 Day revenues by 65%. MEASURING JAN-JUL ’07 AGAINST JAN-JUL ‘06; • visits to Hilton.com were up by 20.3%. • online bookings on Hilton.com have generated an extra 26.6% in revenue. • online bookings on Hilton.com have generated net room-night growth of 18.9%. • total ADR was up 7.2%. • total RevPAR was up 8.0% Spanish language commercials driving to Hilton.es have generated revenue of $1.82m since launch in Jan ’07. French versions to Hilton.fr have delivered over $1.52m. Visitors to the ’07 HiltonJourneys.com experiential site stayed an average 1m 57s longer per page (+231%) than in ’06.

The flying experience on legacy carriers like Delta had drastically deteriorated and was being exploited by independents like JetBlue and Southwest. To add insult to injury, Delta was in bankruptcy and faced hostile takeover threats. Instead of succumbing to market pressures, Delta used this time to invest in its company, its products, its services and its people to recharge its brand and workforce, with the goal of emerging from bankruptcy in a record 18 months. Delta's emergence from bankruptcy served as the launch date for the 'Change' campaign, which highlights the numerous and on-going changes at Delta, as well as invites consumers to interact and contribute to the new Delta.

Force consumer reconsideration of the Delta Brand. Increase ad awareness. Increase brand persuasion. Show brand momentum against competitors. Change brand perceptions to forward-thinking, surprising and stylish from traditional + old-fashioned.

The target audience of the 'Change' campaign has traveled three or more times domestically for business or pleasure in the past year and three or more times internationally for business or pleasure in the past three years. The universe is 22 million Americans, 49% male, 51% female.

The Delta brand team began its planning cycle by creating a more robust segmentation + prioritization of its customers. Qualitative research was conducted with key segments in key hub cities [Atlanta, New York + Los Angeles] to assess the current state of the brand, of air travel and flyers hopes + dreams for the future of air travel. Insights from these conversations served as a starting point for concepting the campaign. In early 07 concepts were evolved + refined through engagement with Delta and competitive flyers in two separate rounds of creative development research. Other consumer insight research was conducted by Lippincott and Mercer, design consulting firm, for graphics, identity and logo work. Once the work was finalized from a creative and research point of view, work was printed and produced for out-of-home, newspaper, magazine, radio, TV and online advertising.

The key message of this campaign is that Delta has changed, is changing and will continue to change. They have not only changed themselves, but changed the landscape of flying. This campaign set itself apart from others in the category by being truly honest about the state of flying. It acknowledged the consumer belief that flying sucks and that something had to change. The campaign featured a new and bold graphic system, including a new logo in clean visual approach seen throughout the advertising. In addition Delta created a website that created dialogue and discourse between the brand and its consumers. This site has since evolved into the first ever legacy-sponsored blog.

1. Key Brand Measures, from January, 2007 to July, 2007: • Brand Momentum Atlanta: [+ 19] New York: [+ 13] • Brand Persuasion Atlanta: [+ 4] New York: [+8] • Advertising Awareness Atlanta: [+ 4] New York: [+ 8] 2. Delta’s effort to modernize perceptions of the brand from January, 2007 to July, 2007: • “Forward thinking” Atlanta: 26% to 38% [+ 12] New York: 14% to 24% [+ 10] • “Stylish” Atlanta: 25% to 28% [+ 3] New York: 15% to 17% [+ 2] • “Surprising” Atlanta: 16% to 20% [+ 4] New York: 11% to 14% [+ 3] • “Traditional” reverse: Atlanta: 47% to 40% [- 7] New York: 37% to 29% [- 8] • “Old Fashioned” reverse: Atlanta: 27% to 17% [- 10] New York: 27% to 21% [- 6]

The $37-million luxury spa, The Lodge at Woodloch, launched summer 2006 as the first true destination spa to open in the U.S. in more than a decade. The spa’s creators and owners are highly respected by spa industry insiders, but with a no name brand and a location in rural Northeast Pennsylvania not known for luxury travel, there were significant challenges. Furthermore, a very limited advertising budget meant promotion depended on public relations. It was vital to put The Lodge at Woodloch “on the map” with strong publicity placement in influential media.

• Position new spa as the finest full-service luxury destination facility in the Northeast, emphasizing distinction of destination versus resort spa. Leverage standing as the first new U.S. destination spa to open in more than 10 years.. • Highlight legendary status and blue chip credentials (included executive positions with Canyon Ranch and others) of founders, underscoring spa as apex of their ideal. • Emphasize location as being within driving distance of metropolitan areas in the Northeast, a perfect alternative to lengthier air travel choices while still offering a relaxing 75-acre “oasis.” • Create awareness of one-of-a-kind facilities and programming: 40,000-square-foot spa; aqua garden; elegant, lodge ambiance; design elements; experience of staff members; “awakening” philosophy; natural setting. Play up appeal for men as well as women, especially couples. • Promote culinary excellence and stature of chef; stress organic, healthy yet unrestrictive gourmet cuisine and excellent wine list. • Secure placements in top publications both nationally and regionally – and generate excitement and awareness about the spa.

• Affluent travelers with special emphasis on the drive market • Spa enthusiasts throughout the U.S.

• Built excitement pre-opening, by laying the groundwork for feature coverage, capitalizing expertise and vision of founders to maximize exposure. • Orchestrated key media events including intimate media luncheon with top editors pre-opening to introduce the property, arranged one-on-one media interviews and represented spa at industry events. • Implemented aggressive campaign including individual press visits and site inspections to ensure appropriate media personally experienced new facilities. • Segmented market and developed targeted pitch letters and news releases for niche media, top market regional and national luxury lifestyle outlets, individualizing key messages. • Created comprehensive press kit, consulted on development of photo library, sales & ad materials.

• As stated in “100 Best Spas of the World”: Forget everything you've heard about spas. The Lodge at Woodloch breaks the mold. From gourmet food to high-energy workouts, luxurious accommodations and romantic privacy, this is a place that appeals to sophisticated spa-goers as well as young couples enjoying their first taste of quality time without the family.

• As stated in “100 Best Spas of the World”: Forget everything you've heard about spas. The Lodge at Woodloch breaks the mold. From gourmet food to high-energy workouts, luxurious accommodations and romantic privacy, this is a place that appeals to sophisticated spa-goers as well as young couples enjoying their first taste of quality time without the family.

The Grand Hotel Esplanade Berlin is located in downtown Berlin, in close vicinity to popular city centers, museums, landmarks, theaters, shopping, restaurants, & nightlife. The main goal of this website project was to design, build, & market 2 versions of a site- one in English & one in German, for the main target markets. Both versions would need to clearly communicate the location of the hotel, since it is such a unique selling point for the property. Additionally, each version needed to adjust to the methods in which consumers usually purchased their travel. Knowing that Germans are less likely to use credit cards for online purchases, it was understood that online marketing efforts would drive a substantial amount of revenue to other offline channels (such as phone). This knowledge led to clearer expectations regarding online revenue metrics &, likewise, drove a design that emphasized the reservations phone number with very visible placement (particularly for the German version).

NULL

The target audiences of the website are domestic and international transient travelers searching for a trendy, city hotel with many amenities and a central location. Travelers who were potentially interested in the nearby popular shopping districts and Berlin’s other tourist attractions were also targeted. Seasonally, niche target market groups that attend specific events and festivals in the city were also identified. The website needed to speak to the untrusting German travel market and convince them to book accommodations online or via the specified phone number. The site also needed to convince the affluent, American traveler who was unfamiliar with the geography of Berlin, that the Hotel Esplanade was in a prime location for a trip overseas.

To assist in research, several parties were interviewed including hotel executives, the LXR team, a translation company, & an interior design firm. Research was conducted regarding how Europeans shop for travel online, including which search engines they use most & payment methods. The design of this site began when the hotel was still under renovation. Therefore, the designers worked closely with the architecture firm for insight & samples of the hotel’s color palette & interior design which they then used in the look and feel of the site (note the wood background of the site matches the wood interior of the hotel). Upon completion, the entire site was optimized in English & German, with careful attention paid to the nuances of the vernaculars. Location is one of the hotel’s most important selling points. Therefore, an interactive map was built to illustrate the location of the hotel. In addition, several web pages were created that describe the attractions near the hotel.

The Esplanade website was designed to be a seamless extension of the actual hotel experience. In addition to replicating the color palette and design of the hotel, the website also streams optional music and a hotel video that further imbues the ambiance and style of the hotel. The woodwork found in the hotel lobby was the inspiration for the background of the hotel’s website. The hotel’s website is promoted through several online channels. The site is fully optimized in both English and German and paid search is also conducted on US and European search engines. Additionally, text links and banner ads can be found on many of the popular travel websites including Hotels.de and TripAdvisor.com. Aggressive push marketing has also been exploited in the form of email marketing and promotions through the www.LuxuryResorts.com portal website.

Since few Germans have credit cards & most dislike purchasing online, a solution was to give the option to make reservations via a dedicated phone line. The phone numbers (1 for German speakers & 1 for US residents) are clearly visible throughout the site, particularly on the German site. Stats show that the majority of site traffic comes from Germany (64.8%) & the majority of revenue from the site also originates within Germany (17.69%, compared with 14.5% from the U.S.). In terms of total revenue, 9% is booked through the site’s leisure channels & 73.89% through the call center. Since the site launched in January 2007, there is no YOY data, but results to date show positive ROI: Avg. Unique Visitors/Mth: 12,985, Avg. Repeat Visitors/Mth: 2,909 (23% of Visits are Repeat), Avg. Time per Visit: 5.95 min. (18% higher than the avg. of similar sites), Site Conversion: 1.18% (a high % for a site that generates a majority of revenue offline; 9% higher than the avg of similar sites).

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is the hottest fashion event of the year. W Hotels has always supported fashion and lifestyle so it is vital that they have a huge presence at Fashion Week each year. To make sure W Hotels is a huge part of this event they host the most popular backstage lounge for models, designers, and guests a like. They also strongly support a fashion related charity each year, and offer a special package to their guests that combines the backstage lounge, runway tickets, and special hotel room offers.

In order to clearly communicate all of the different activities around Fashion Week that W Hotels was a part of, they created an integrated campaign tying into a single landing page with all information – updated by the minute. Our goal was to let the public know how W Hotels is involved in all things fashion, lifestyle, and most importantly, Mercedes – Benz Fashion Week Fall ’07.

Anyone interested in Fashion Week events and happenings, as well as supporters of W Hotels that want to know how the W Hotel chain has supported Fashion Week.

Every year W Hotels is involved with Fashion Week. This year we developed the following creative: -Website Landing page -Catwalk Landing page -W Blog Page -LX Video -Search Campaign -Banners -Press Releases -Email Invitations We have been able to measure the click through rates of our ’06 banners, blog, and landing page and make enhancements from this data. We also launched an intense research effort on what other companies do to support Fashion Week and make sure that we include marketing collateral that hits all areas.

The key message is that W Hotels has its stake firmly set in Fashion Week every year. It has a presence in many different activities and it allows guests and friends access unlike any other company. It is also the only hotel chain that is close to the action (for example – the backstage lounge). The campaign allows W Hotels guests and friends a sense of access that is unparalleled in the marketplace.

W Hotels has had the largest number of RSVPs to their backstage lounge ever because of our integrated online and print invitations and landing page. Another goal was to have more money donated to their charity, promoted by banners, landing page, and blog. This year has seen a huge spike in donations and a bigger support effort due to increased advertising and promotions.

The “Colors of Hawaii” campaign is an integrated offline, online and pr campaign aimed at driving users to an interactive microsite built as a supplement of HVCB’s GoHawaii site (www.gohawaii.com/autumn). This is a video based site that houses 4 “Color” Videos (Blue, Green, Yellow and Red) each comprised of 2 or 3 individual segments featuring people and activities of Hawaii. Users are able to view any or all of the 3 to 4 minute long videos. At specified times throughout each segment, the user is offered the opportunity to access additional information, via content notification pop-ups, in order to learn more about what they are currently viewing. These pop-ups prompt users to click to learn more and provide further details, how-to’s and tactical information on experiencing what they are viewing. From there, they can dive into the GoHawaii website for even deeper information, or with a simple close click, return to watching the video from where they previously left off.

Raise awareness of Hawaii on a national level and its diversity of activities. Bring to life the marketing communications theme of the People of the Islands of Aloha sharing their islands with visitors Engage target consumers with new/different activities and experiences Hawaii has to offer. Provide a strong CTA for online/offline/PR campaign, encouraging consumers to interact with the Gohawaii.com site. Drive consumers into the consideration mind set Increase traffic to and time spent on Gohawaii.com

Demographics: Adults, 25 – 44 years old, with a household income of $75,000+. They are first time visitors who enjoy an active lifestyle. Dual-income, no kids (DINKs) and couples with kids that are already living on their own. Psychographics: Travelers are the adventure and cultural traveler. They are active and don't want to come to Hawai‘i just to lay on the beach. They want to participate in events and experience diverse activities outside of their everyday experiences. But, at the end of the day, they also want to be pamper themselves. The goal of their vacation is to escape their normal experiences and rejuvenate.

We relied on months of target audience based research, focus groups and historic learning’s from both online and offline campaign to build this comprehensive program and campaign. No outside agencies were involved in the process.

“Every color tells a story” Structuring content around a “colors” theme, we produced 4 short films, each a different color, each featuring 2 to 3 different stories. Ranging in subject matter from a sunrise on Haleakala to a musician in Lahaina to nightlife in Chinatown, each story was structured to have a person of Hawaii share their unique story and detail the experience that is relevant to a visitor. Expanding on the message of the videos is the unique user experience on the gohawaii.com/autumn microsite. While viewing any segment, via on-screen notifications, the user is able to dive into deeper information pertaining to what they are viewing on-screen. This includes guides, how-tos, must-sees and top lists. These guides were also available via download as an interactive pdf (and printable) takeaway to help users plan their Hawaii vacation after their site visit.

After the first month of the media campaign, preliminary numbers have been extremely positive, when viewed against our success measurements of total visitors, user engagement/time spent and user downloads. In the first month we have had over 30,000 visitors, of which over 70% have viewed at least the first chapter of the first video. This is a bounce rate of less than 30%. For those visitors that do stay to watch at least the first chapter, they, on average, have stayed on the site much longer. With an average time of 11.5 minutes on the site, we are well above our typical site average of 8 minutes, or 4 minute median. Those 11.5 minutes consist of a mix of both chapter views and additional content views. Additionally, with currently 2000 video and guide downloads, roughly 10 percent of the visitors have downloaded either the videos or the guides.

National broadcast coverage is the most coveted medium to paint a vivid, multidimensional portrait of a destination. Four of Spring O’Brien’s destination clients - Tahiti, Morocco, Hong Kong and New Zealand wished to increase visibility and create buzz for their respective countries. At the same time, the agency was exploring opportunities for feature coverage with CBS’ national morning program, The Early Show. Widely viewed as one of the golden tickets to broad market viewership, the show was interested but had yet to establish a series covering international travel. Over the course of two years (April 2005 – March 2007) the agency regularly worked with host Dave Price to create a format that would send him to exotic destinations that the agency represented. After a stalled CBS opportunity for Tahiti in October 2006, we sought to establish a concerted partnership with the network to feature four of the agency’s clients in Dave’s “All Access Pass” series.

Our target audience was the viewership of CBS’ The Early Show, a coveted, widely watched, top ranked national network morning program. The show’s total viewership exceeds 3.2 million viewers (using 2.2 viewers per household with Nielson ratings) daily while its website receives 6.3 million unique viewers a month.

After 20 months of laying the groundwork, the partnership with CBS was formally established during a December 2006 meeting with host Dave Price and director of special projects Nanci Ross. As a result of this pitch meeting, CBS agreed and confirmed all four destinations, i.e., four out of the six-part “All Access Pass” series, would feature Spring, O’Brien destination clients. The series was slated for February/March sweeps. Once producers were assigned, our destination teams went to work arranging every detail of the four whirlwind 48-72-hour trips, including creating and finalizing itineraries; arranging inside access features (e.g. meeting Marlon Brando’s son in Tahiti, Sir Richard Branson in Morocco); securing airfare for CBS crew and prizewinners; etc. To maximize our clients’ visibility, we helped create colorful fanfare at four U.S. cities where winners were awarded and departed on their trips “live on air.”

Tahiti, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Morocco are fascinating, multifaceted destinations that suit every taste; they are safe, fun and easy to reach for mainstream U.S. travelers, thanks to modern air access. Through visually arresting footage crafted from well thought out, customized itineraries, we sought to stimulate viewers to visit these countries with an appealing portrayal of their cuisines, dramatic settings, intriguing personalities and dynamic cultures.

In February and March 2007 the agency garnered a total of 55 minutes and 33 seconds of national broadcast network airtime on CBS for our four clients. Each destination received an approximate three- to five-minute live send-off during the prize giveaways, a five- to six-minute diary-style feature segment recounting Price’s “All-Access” journeys and promotional plugs leading up to the taped segments. In addition, teaser “video postcards” were broadcast of Price and prizewinner from the destinations between the day the winner was announced and the day Price returned on air for the full post-trip video diary. There were follow-up briefs showing where Price and prizewinner had been the previous week. In New Zealand, the final destination, Price reported live from Auckland. The back-stories and TV segments were posted and archived on CBS.com. The website also included links to our clients’ and partner websites to drive traffic.

In 2004, Marriott Hotel and Resorts (MHR) embarked on an effort to contemporize their brand and appeal to a younger demographic of business travelers by updating, enhancing and repositioning their guest experience. Flat-screen TVs, modern ergonomic desks and rich, luxurious Revive™ bedding were just some of the new features that made up the redesigned MHR rooms, providing a contemporary experience that enabled guests to perform at the top of their game. With technological advancements such as check-in kiosks and HD TVs becoming the newest amenities in the hotel category, MHR introduced the latest innovation in guestroom technology in early 2007, the “plug-in panel.” This device enables connectivity of multiple portable devices such as laptops, MP3 players, cameras and gaming devices to the in-room 32” inch flat panel TV. The “personal digital command center” allows guests to seamlessly toggle between work and play in the comfort of their rooms.

MHR’s target is the achievement-oriented frequent business traveler (FBT) who is driven by the need to achieve and perform. Connectivity is key in helping this group of highly wired business travelers stay at a high level of productivity and performance. The Plug In site aims at reaching a younger, more sophisticated business traveler. Gen X FBTs are becoming more important to MHR but the boomers are still a very large part of the current customer base and target.

In order to shift perceptions, MHR wanted to leverage the in-room technology as a key proof point, engineering the guest rooms to inspire performance for achievement-minded guests. “When we test marketed the HDTV and connectivity panel among guests, the response was overwhelming. This type of in-room technology was critical to them,” said Bob McCarthy, president, North American lodging operations and global brand management, Marriott. mcgarrybowen worked with MHR to develop strategy and the traditional advertising components surrounding this campaign. T3 interpreted the campaign for the interactive space and created a tactile experience for consumers. Based on research conducted by mcgarrybowen, T3 knew that consumers wanted to get their hands on the new room technology and quickly understand how it worked. An interactive landing environment where users could virtually explore the new technology was key in communicating the overall message to MHR guests (see below).

The Plug In site promotes MHR’s new “plug-in” technology and positions the brand as innovative and an industry leader. By showcasing the new technology with a virtual front door, the brand experience effectively reaches the highly wired target audience through a technology-based marketing medium. The site allows guests to explore, firsthand, the fully compatible new plug-in panel and lets them turn the TV into a computer monitor, stereo, movie screen, digital photo album and gaming system. For example, users who click on the site’s “split-screen” feature see a demonstration of a TV program running alongside workable documents on a computer desktop. The site highlights all of the features provided by the new HDTV and connectivity panel and communicates benefits such as multi-tasking so that business travelers can be more productive on the road.

A Washington Post article and a Digg.com posting showed increased awareness of the new technology and Plug In site. Digg.com is a popular community-based forum among the target and the posting drove over 2,400 visits to the Plug In site in one day. The site, http://t-3.com/external/plugintomarriott/ was live for 17 weeks and recently became part of the redesigned http://www.experiencemarriott.com/, originally created by T3 in 2005. During the 17 weeks, as reported by Dynamic Logic, the site increased association of the technology with MHR and significantly improved intent to recommend the hotel. Respondents exhibited highest agreement that the site “Helped me understand more about Marriott’s new guest room technology” and the site’s “cool look and feel” had greatest impact. Overall the site drove considerable brand interaction. While we are unable to release exact data, the “Find a Hotel” link resulted in considerable bookings and increased MHR revenue.

As part of Hilton Hotels’ billion-dollar re-ignition initiative, the brand reviewed its 16-year relationship with the GRAMMY Awards and The Recording Academy and turned to Cohn & Wolfe (CW) to explore ways to infuse its sponsorship with its new brand personality in a newsworthy way. Hilton and CW created the Hilton Harmony Tour - a philanthropic music program featuring a celebrity-autographed “Harmony Piano” to inspire children and raise funds for the GRAMMY Foundation. Hilton pledged that for every artist who autographed the piano, the company would donate $1,000 to support the Foundation’s music education programs, with the end-goal of raising $100,000. The tour kicked-off backstage at the 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards, garnering 75 signatures including Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson, and headed on a cross-country journey to nine Hilton properties in major music cities to collect additional signatures, host music lessons for students and generate media coverage for the Hilton brand.

Objectives: - Build awareness for Hilton’s 16-year sponsorship of the GRAMMY Awards, tying it back to the company’s brand re-ignition initiative - Generate positive widespread awareness among consumers and Hilton team members of the Tour and music education - Generate regional/local media coverage of the Hilton Harmony Tour in each market - Make positive contributions to the communities in which Hilton has a presence - Collect 100 celebrity signatures, symbolizing a $100,000 donation to the GRAMMY Foundation

Target Audiences: - Regional/local print, online and broadcast outlets in Hilton Harmony Tour markets and national travel and advertising trades - Hilton communities including local residents and travelers to the area - Hilton guests (current and future), consumers and team members

Research: CW put together a community relations program surrounding the Harmony Piano’s national tour. After identifying cities with a rich music heritage and Hilton presence, CW secured famed and up-and-coming artists in each city to sign the piano and lead a music lesson for local students using the piano as a learning tool. For example, in New Orleans, the team hosted a “mini-Jazz Fest” with renowned trombonist “Trombone Shorty.” Planning/Implementation: To promote the Harmony Tour in each market, CW: - Made pitch calls and distributed customized media alerts to local/regional media outlets and select national outlets - Coordinated day-of media interviews with artists, students and Hilton executives - Created Lucite piano media teasers and executed drop-offs to local broadcast stations - Informed hotel team members about the Harmony Piano’s tour stop at their property by creating an easy-to-reference tool kit and distributing it to property PR and marketing directors

Key message: - School music programs across the country face a serious threat as funding continues to vanish. Hilton has created the Hilton Harmony Tour, to simultaneously inspire kids with the power of music and raise funds to support the GRAMMY Foundation and its music education programs. Key differentiators: - A community relations program that centers around a six-foot grand piano that harmonizes Hilton hotels, Hilton team members, students and musicians to raise awareness and funds for music education while tying Hilton’s brand re-ignition campaign. - Perhaps no other piano in history has been touched by so many artists, all to benefit music education. The piano features 113 celebrity signatures, symbolizing a $113,000 donation to the GRAMMY Foundation.

At our Chicago stop, only halfway through the Tour, CW surpassed two goals - to receive local/regional coverage of the Tour and to collect 100 signatures. We had our 100th Signature Celebration at the Hilton Chicago where kids from local Boys & Girls Clubs were treated to a private concert by Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famer Buddy Guy. Media coverage included Brandweek, Chicago Tribune’s RedEye Edition, Illinois Entertainer, WLS-TV (ABC), WBBM-TV (CBS), WMAQ-TV 5.com (NBC) and more! - And, at the tour’s finale, the Harmony Piano hit its highest note, gaining signatures from artists Natalie Cole and Josh Kelley during a private concert for more than 500 L.A. students and garnering national coverage on “Entertainment Tonight,” “Access Hollywood,” “Inside Edition,” and “The Insider” as well as AP photos appearing on Yahoo! News. - Because of the success of the Harmony Tour, The Recording Academy found a place for the piano on stage at the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards – music to Hilton’s ears!

The Cold War era bunker at The Greenbrier was uncovered by The Washington Post in 1992 and tours began in 1995. In July 2006, the bunker reopened for tours after a two-year renovation. The goal of this campaign was to bring renewed interest to the facility and the resort.

-Create awareness of the bunker, the enhancements made during the renovation, and by association, The Greenbrier resort -Promote an authentic historic experience to luxury travelers -Impact revenues by increasing interest in tours and overnight stays of return and future guests -Communicate the importance of the role the resort played in protecting the United States' democratic form of government

Luxury travelers seeking an authentic, one-of-a-kind experience. This includes all generations and travelers from across the United States and throughout the world.

-Identified key media targets and developed specific pitches/opportunities as appropriate. -Secured an exclusive with NBC's "The Today Show" and an advance preview for the Associated Press. -Coordinated a bunker media day for regional media that included remarks from the former on-site director of the facility, the president of the resort and the former Architect of the Capitol. -Executed a carefully coordinated media campaign, culminating with the official re-opening of the bunker on July 17, 2006. -Created a DVD with historic and current photography, some of which had never been released before, as well as specific press materials with pertinent facts.

The bunker at The Greenbrier is a true artifact of the Cold War era and guests are once again welcome to tour the facility and learn about the resort's important role in protecting our country's democratic form of government.

-Live coverage on NBC's Today Show on July 1, 2006 to 3.698 million viewers. -The Associated Press preview resulted in placements in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN.com, Forbes.com, The Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and 40 other outlets. -Prime placement, with accompanying photo, in USA Today on the front page of Destinations and Diversions' Dispatches column with a circulation of 2.635 million. -The media day resulted in extensive coverage in regional media including Wheeling, Charleston and Beckley, WV as well as Roanoke, VA and Baltimore, MD. -The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly devoted 17 minutes to the bunker and The Greenbrier's role in an August program. -Two History Channel shows, Our Generation and Lost Worlds, filmed in the bunker. -The New York Times ran a half page feature on the bunker with full color photos. -Bunker tour revenue exceeded budget by more than 42%. -The bunker minisite on greenbrier.com remained one of the top draws for several months.

Following the 2004 launch of Zero Gravity Corporation’s weightless flight experience in Florida, the company had established a strong following among space enthusiasts and thrill-seekers as the space tourism industry continued to grow. With plans to redesign its aircraft to accommodate more passengers, and launch service operations in Las Vegas, the company sought to broaden its customer base to support its growth plans. However, concerns and misperceptions persisted among consumers-at-large that the experience had risks and was most appropriate for those with a keen interest in space. To eliminate concerns and misperceptions, Zero Gravity Corporation staged a historic flight with Professor Stephen J. Hawking - an internationally-known figure recognized and admired by all for his significant contributions to science despite a near life-long battle with ALS that resigned him to a wheelchair and the use of a computer as his only method of verbal communication.

• Promote Zero Gravity Corporation’s ZERO-G Weightless Flights as a safe and once-in-a-lifetime experience for all • Support Zero Gravity’s planned expansion • Carefully manage a strategic media plan that maximized all possible pre-, day-of and post opportunities, which included: o Lack of direct/limited access to Professor Hawking o Press not permitted on the actual flight o Sensitivities and health-related limitations of Professor Hawking, and the uncertainty of his condition, health and welfare following the flight o Extremely tight restrictions imposed by the FAA, TSA and NASA, the Kennedy Space Center - the host site for the flight

Adults/Consumers – U.S. and in key international markets

• Announce flight two months prior; secure national newspaper exclusive with The New York Times • Leverage test flight: o Only two media seats available; secure national network exclusive with NBC o Identify student/fan of Hawking of similar size/stature to act as a stand-in – publicize via satellite feed and photo release • Arrange pre-flight interviews with Hawking and AP, NBC, Reuters Television/BBC and CNN • Stage pre-flight and post-flight press briefings with Zero Gravity Corp.’s Peter Diamandis and Hawking, who delivered remarks via his computer • Arrange photo ops of Hawking boarding the aircraft, flight take off and landing • Prepare media messaging that set clear expectations for success – the completion of one (zero gravity) parabola • Provide pool video and photography from the Hawking flight • Disseminate a multi-media package with photography and video, as well as a second satellite feed following the flight

• ZERO-G Weightless Flights are a fun, safe and once-in-a-lifetime experience for all to enjoy

The Orlando Sentinel reported “a throng of international press” covered the event. Zero Gravity received hundreds of calls and web hits following the event. All scheduled flights were sold out, with additional flights added to meet demand. Results included 400+ stories, 32.5+ million impressions for the March 1 announcement; and 206.5+ million impressions, 1,500+ placements, ad equiv. of $2.8+ million for the April 26 flight: • 1,000 broadcast hits - NBC Nightly News, TODAY, MSNBC, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, Fox News Channel, CNN • Included in The New York Times’ Sunday Week in Review, and front page stories in 14 newspapers including The Washington Post and London Daily Telegraph • 2,000+ online stories - home pages on MSN, AOL, USA Today, The Washington Post • MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olberman #2 story of the day • Late night Jimmy Kimmel Live monologue mention • Among top 10 Google’d subjects of the day • 1,000+ viewings of video package on YouTube

In the spring of 2007 New Orleans was facing the probability of one of the slowest summers in the history of the city. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the city had endured unrelenting negative media reports and the city’s largest industry, tourism, was suffering. The New Orleans CVB’s work with travel trade professionals had paid off, and meeting and convention planners understood that the city was ready and eager for tourism business, but it was their clients, the decision makers and the convention attendees that were not sure.

The goals were to soften the customer pool by talking directly to the consumer audiences that will best respond to our message and influence their peers, identify the best potential visitors for short and long term success, and create momentum by engaging influencer groups.

We identified our target as “Seekers” and defined them as travelers looking for diversity, discovery and authenticity. These Individuals look for new experiences and find value in social currency, or the ability to capture and share unique experiences, favoring the intangible over the tangible. By grouping all travelers into 3 segments: Mainstreamers (those very uncomfortable with risk and only travel to very familiar locations), Seekers (those comfortable with some level of risk and seek interesting travel locations that are not expected), and Adventurers (those who want a high level of risk and only travel to the most obscure locations) we identified the Seeker market as 26% of all travelers, or roughly 324.8 million. This was the first-ever web marketing campaign from the New Orleans CVB designed to reach the end user representing a huge shift from pre-Katrina marketing to trade customers and hospitality industry decision makers only.

Trumpet, the branding and marketing agency for the New Orleans CVB, pulled existing research from Simmons and Iconoculture to help identify and define the target and their beliefs and values. Trumpet proposed the creation of 24NOLA.com, an interactive Web site and itinerary planning tool for visitors who want to experience New Orleans culture as locals do. A database of these activities was created based on local favorites and the site was developed with the ability for users to comment on an activity, submit their own suggestion or pick from a list of “Editor’s Picks” curated from New Orleans experts.

In New Orleans there are countless interesting and unique things to do in each of the 24 hours of the day. 24NOLA was created to celebrate New Orleans’ culture, identify the restaurants, attractions, bars and events that are not typically listed in existing travel guides. Taking advantage of the distinctive 24-hour nature of New Orleans, the site breaks down the best things to see, hear, eat and do day and night and allows the user to build a custom itinerary, send it to friends and book a trip. Where else can you take an airboat ride through the swamps 10am, indulge in authentic Italian gelato at 1pm raise the spirits at Voodoo Authentica at 3pm and have a Lucky Dog at 3am?

From July 30 through September 03 we’ve had a total of 25,633 visits, 220,881 page views and 592 itineraries completed. Business travel and conventions in New Orleans in 2007 is at approximately 70 percent of pre-Katrina levels, for 2008 it is projected to be at approximately 90 percent. Travel agent bookings have increased 30 percent.

New Mexico has a perception problem. Talk to virtually anyone in the country and, if they have any opinion at all of New Mexico, they likely think of the State as an expansive, dry, dusty desert that’s home to a lot of Native Americans but not much else, as a place that’s boring and empty, with nothing at all interesting to see or do. That’s a problem for tourism in New Mexico, of course. To make matters worse, the type of traveler that New Mexico traditionally attracts -- retirees, campers, older folks who live within driving distance – don’t tend to spend a lot of money once they get to the State: no rental car, camping instead of lodging, picnics instead of dining out, museums instead of golf courses. So it’s not just the quantity of tourists we need to affect, but also the quality. The brief was really pretty simple then: prove, in a limited number of test markets, that advertising can force a new target audience to reevaluate New Mexico as a vacation destination.

1. Increase target’s awareness of New Mexico as a vacation destination by 100%. 2. Change the prevailing perception that New Mexico is an empty desert with nothing to do.

New Mexico had traditionally reached out to an older (mostly retired) audience that lived within driving distance of the State, "The RV Crowd". For this campaign we chose a different, potentially more valuable target that we call "Active Travelers": 1. Younger (21-54) 2. Families and groups of friends in addition to couples 3. Skiers, golfers, hikers, bikers, spa enthusiasts 4. HHI $50k+ The two media markets chosen for this campaign were San Diego, CA and Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN due to these facts: residents of each have a higher propensity for leisure travel, each city is too far to drive but offers direct flights to New Mexico, and each market is relatively inexpensive from a media standpoint.

An extensive pre- and post-wave quantitative brand tracking study was conducted -- nationally and in each test market individually -- with the help of our two research partners, Southwest Planning & Marketing and CRC Associates, both of Santa Fe, NM. The study measured awareness of New Mexico as a vacation destination and perception of the State according to 77 independent metrics across 9 categories such as Value, Accessibility, and Entertainment. The post-wave study included a battery of advertising diagnostics as well. Given the need for great changes in awareness and perception, television was the medium of choice, supported by outdoor, transit advertising, web banners, coffee sleeves, and public event tactics, all of which was produced by M&C Saatchi. Public relations was also a big part of the effort, handled by Ballantine’s PR, Los Angeles, CA.

The brief to the creative team was: CONSUMER INSIGHT: Most people think of New Mexico as an empty desert with nothing to do BRAND INSIGHT: With so much to do, New Mexico is one of the most beautifully diverse vacation destinations in the world POWERFUL TRUTH: There’s more to New Mexico than you think The creative team took inspiration from New Mexico’s rich UFO mythology and burgeoning space industry, figuring that with all the aliens visiting New Mexico it must be well known throughout the universe as the place to go for an exciting, unique vacation. The resulting creative thought – “The Best Place In The Universe” – and executions are entirely unlike any tourism advertising the target is likely to see or have seen, thus neatly carving out a unique and own-able space for New Mexico.

1. Per the post-wave tracking report, we increased awareness of New Mexico as a vacation destination dramatically: -- In San Diego by 133%, from 8.7% to 20.3% -- In Minneapolis by 176%, from 5.1% to 14.1%. 2. Change the prevailing perception that New Mexico is an empty desert with nothing to do. In each market, the campaign changed perceptions of New Mexico, increasing perception of the State as: -- A place for single travelers and children -- A place with interesting cities, museums/galleries, spas, casinos, parks and gardens -- A place that holds potential for adventure and excitement All the while decreasing some of the “RV Crowd” metrics that largely define New Mexico, such as: -- A place for retirees and adult couples -- A place for experiencing native culture, small towns, festivals With regard to the advertising, consumers found them to be unusual (combined 7.7 out of 10, where 5.5 is an average score) and to stand out from other travel advertising (7.4).

The objective of this project was to raise awareness of our amenities and promote them to the guests already staying at each of our 4 hotels.

We wanted to see an increase in use of each amenity by our guests, including room service, breakfast omelet station, nightly cookies and milk buffet, and the bar.

The target audience was each and every guest staying at our 4 properties. The sticky notes were placed in unexpected areas of the room, like the door, bathroom mirror, TV or microwave at different times of each day by housekeeping.

JB Islander, our advertsing agency, handled conception, design and production of the sticky notes. They combined bold headlines and catchy text with fun stock imagery to create five unique 4"x3" sticky note versions, each advertising an amenity.

The key message was to make our guests aware of all of these amenities available right within the hotel. As opposed to a list of amenities on the desk, these sticky notes caught the guests' attention with their unique look and fun factor, and the surprising locations at which they were placed around the room.

The original goal of getting more guests to use each of the advertised amenities was achieved. Room service usage went up 20%, use of the breakfast omelet station increased by 16%, the bar reported an increase in guest checks of 12%, and 22% more cookies were consumed at the nightly cookies and milk buffet.

Queen Mary 2’s maiden call to San Francisco posed several challenges: the ship was scheduled to sail in under the Golden Gate Bridge at nearly kick off time on Super Bowl Sunday, one of the most widely viewed television events in the U.S., and therefore one of the most highly competitive media environments. In addition, the city’s Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was scheduled to participate in a traditional plaque and key ceremony onboard the ship, was in the midst of a major scandal. These two events were poised to severely overshadow the ship’s historic maiden call, endangering the media response and limiting the potential for the ship's traditional "arrival spectators" that turn out to greet the incoming vessel.

1) Secure community participation in the event by attracting local residents to come out to "greet" the ship as she arrived in SF harbor 2) Secure local SF media coverage in print and television of QM2's first-ever call to the city 3) Secure national television media coverage highlighting the unprecedented appeal of the QM2 as an icon that commands attention and an audience wherever she sails

Our target audience was comprised of regional northern California residents (highlighting the fact that San Francisco was a port of call) as well as consumers nationwide (continuing to support the image and positioning of the Queen Mary 2 as the "world's biggest celebrity").

Through a coordinated media and community relations effort with the SF CVB and Port Authority, we positioned the event as a history-making moment: QM2 was the largest vessel ever to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, and indeed it was the first time these two iconic engineering feats would be seen together. We scouted out prime viewing locations for the arrival and harnessed local media to rally community attendance. AP committed to an exclusive photo opportunity, and the photographer accompanied our helicopter/b-roll crew for aerial arrival shots. A media alert was distributed, outlining all opportunities/times for arrival shots of the ship, tours, and interviews with key ship staff. Morning shows were secured for live remotes from the ship and feeds to national news affiliates. In addition, we secured the local CBS affiliate KPIX the opportunity to put a camera crew on the pilot boat to film the ship’s arrival into San Francisco harbor. B-roll and photo packages were distributed.

The key message for this event was to highlight the grand heritage of Cunard Line and continue to underscore the Queen Mary 2's brand image as a coveted experience of grandeur and sophistication. The secondary message was to communicate the "celebrity status" of the ship, as evidenced by the massive crowds of spectators that turn out to see her arrive in a port.

Pre-arrival coverage saturated the SF market, including multiple stories in the San Francisco Chronicle leading up to the event, with detailed maps of the city indicating prime viewing locations for the arrival. Nearly 50,000 spectators turned out to watch the ship sail in, and the media frenzy started before she even arrived. Broadcast highlights included national coverage on The Today Show, Fox News Channel, CBS News, ABC News, and CNN Headline News, as well as unprecedented regional coverage in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Miami, Boston, and hundreds of other news stations across the country. Print coverage spanned from the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle all the way to the UK Daily Mail. Total broadcast impressions for the day totaled nearly 35 million viewers, and print readership exceeded 25 million.

With more resort group facility competition coming online in the Pacific Northwest, Skamania Lodge must stay top of mind with west coast meeting planners to maintain or increase their group sales.

A) To increase group revenue over 2006 benchmark for the spring through fall timeframe. B) To reinforce our brand positioning by supporting eco-friendly initiatives in the natural scenic wonderland where the property is located. This promotion committed a percentage of group sales revenue to salmon habitat restoration projects in the Columbia River Gorge.

Meeting Planners on the west coast of the US.

Skamania Lodge marketing staff sourced the physical components--tube, stuffed animal--and assembly/handling/ostal services while their ad agency conceived, wrote, designed and produced all graphic elements.

Skamania Lodge is a world-class meeting facility in the midst of a natural wonder outdoor recreation area. Skamania Lodge strives to find ways of helping to support and enhance the ecology and natural environment of their unique location.

Based upon robust group booking revenue, Skamania Lodge has to dat contributed more than $2300 to salmon habitat restoration.

McNeil Wilson Communications (MWC) is retained to handle destination brand public relations in North America for the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), the State of Hawaii’s tourism marketing agency. In MWC's search for the right television opportunity to reach the desired avid traveler demographic, MWC secured Bravo Network’s hit culinary reality show, TOP CHEF, to film its second season finale on Hawaii’s Big Island and MWC directed a collaborative effort on behalf of HVCB that involved recruiting partners including Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii Department of Agriculture, and Aloha Airlines. Segments were created to gain maximum exposure within the episodes to showcase the destination attributes the avid traveler seeks: Hawaii’s beauty and culture, unique regional cuisine, and diverse and exotic agriculture. TOP CHEF’s two one-hour Hawaii finale episodes aired in January 2007 and re-aired more than 35 times resulting in more than 40 hours of airtime on the network.

NULL

The bull’s eye of HVCB’s marketing efforts is the North American avid traveler who typically enjoys a higher disposable income and tends to spend more money, indulging in all aspects of a destination and taking longer than average vacations. As highly experiential and discriminating consumers, these seasoned travelers index high in seeking unique travel experiences, including fine dining. A Travel Industry Association of America October 2006 study noted that culinary and wine tourism in the United States is rising as 27 million leisure travelers, roughly one-fifth of the U.S. leisure traveling population, have participated in culinary-related travel in the last three years in the U.S., spending $12 billion directly on culinary activities while traveling.

Based upon the TIA Oct. 2006 study and research conducted by HVCB through TNS/Plog Research defining the characteristics of the Hawaii traveler, the destination’s culinary experience plays a big role in the decision to visit. MWC identified Bravo Network’s TOP CHEF as the ideal medium to deliver Hawaii’s culinary message to a large audience of potential travelers. The show garnered a 1.4 HH coverage rating with over 1.5 million total viewers during its first season finale thus being the top rated food show and original series on cable in 2006 among adults 18-49 and 25-54 years old. Scout visits were organized by MWC to educate TOP CHEF producers on the diverse cuisine and abundant agriculture found in the islands. In November 2006, MWC worked closely with producers on Hawaii’s Big Island on aspects including story line development, travel logistics for the cast and crew, guest judge Hawaii chef Alan Wong, production pantry, helicopter for filming, and Farmers’ Market segment.

Ten years ago, travelers would not have considered Hawaii as a destination for world-class food and dining experiences. Today, with the help of award-winning chef such as Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi, Hawaii is now on the culinary map as a contender with other destinations around the world. The key message for this campaign with TOP CHEF was to present avid travelers with more reasons to visit Hawaii and to show the Hawaiian Islands as a serious culinary destination with unique offerings such as farmers’ markets, gourmet food shopping, and food festivals. The differentiating factor between this campaign and others in the marketplace is that the Hawaii message and imagery was embedded in the show and all “editorial.” Embedded exposure on television delivers meaningful in-depth information about Hawaii that far outperforms a :30 second TV commercial, especially in the age of TiVo. The cost for this type of editorial inclusion is relatively modest compared to purchasing paid commercials.

At a cost of $60,000 to organize and coordinated major aspects of the TOP CHEF production, HVCB was able to achieve a relatively low cost, high quality editorial exposure for the destination on a popular national television show that showcased Hawaii’s appeal. From a tourism marketing standpoint, TOP CHEF showcased Hawaii exceptionally in its two-part finale highlighting the state’s rich culture, natural beauty, cuisine, agricultural offerings, and well-known local celebrities and chefs. Having aired in January 2007, the two episodes were ideally timed to promote the destination leading into the spring shoulder season, a traditionally slower time for tourism in the islands. As a result, visitor arrivals to the islands from February to May held strong across the State of Hawaii and Hawaii’s Big Island, which was featured on TOP CHEF; most notably, Hawaii’s Big Island welcomed 432,073 North American visitors in the spring shoulder season, an 11% increase from 2005.

For most travelers the word “vacation” is synonymous with images of beaches, sunburns, relaxation or maybe even roller coasters, but not American history. This was evident as visitation to historical sites was down by almost half throughout the preceding decade. Although Colonial Williamsburg’s visitation was stronger than other historical sites through the country, but their visitation was down by double digits as well. In a forward-looking society, people struggled