Agency: Digitas
Client: InterContinental Hotels Group
The InterContinental Hotels Group wanted to increase business from its loyalty club members, Priority Club Rewards, and bring in new members, despite a down market. At the same time, they wanted to drive email address and e-communications opt-in. The agency created the ‘Stay 2 Nights Get 1 Free’ promotion, nicknamed “Screaming.”
During the promotion period, anyone who booked two nights from May 5 to August 15 received a free night to use from July 3 to December 26. Registrants could earn up to a total of four free nights from any InterContinental brand and could also redeem them for any brand, excluding Japanese hotels.
Marketing support for the campaign included countercards and tearpads at the point of sale, print, online, TV, radio, postcards, member statements, member email, card stickers in new member and elite fulfillment kits and inserts with the hotel chain’s partner Chase.
The hotel chain felt the campaign was a screaming success. It generated an incremental $108,000 for InterContinental Hotels Group. Roughly 900,000 people registered during the stay period, 30% more than an average quarterly campaign. While the majority of registrants were existing members, 120,000 new people join the Priority Rewards Club. The goal was for registrants to stay 5 nights, but most stayed 7.
