Starwood’s Digital Efforts to Publicize the Launch of Its Tribute Portfolio

Launching a brand is one of the largest announcements that a hotel group can make and one that they are making with more and more frequency.

Today Starwood Hotels and Resorts joined the ranks of global hotel groups pushing new brands with the introduction of the Tribute Portfolio, a collection of independent four-star properties.

Although Starwood indulged in some traditional print advertising with full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, the majority of its push is on digital and social channels. A large global campaign built around the brand’s tagline “Stay Independent” will run in consumer and trade publications in print and online.

On social, Starwood is taking advantage of Instagram’s new carousel ads. The format gives brands a way to share more images with Instagram users who can swipe left on photos to see additional images and link to a brand website.

Starwood will also make the most of contributors’ social media posts with a campaign built around the hashtag #OurLikes. Photos or posts that share unique elements about properties from their cocktails to spaces will be shared on social media and Starwood’s website.

At launch, Starwood was also ready with the new brands social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

Since it only has one property currently to speak of, the Royal Palm South Beach, its promotional materials are more about the feeling it wants to evoke with the brand rather than where they’ll stay when they book their room.