📌 Hospitality Highlights: 11th December 2023

Serving Fresh Marketing Updates, Trends, Buyer Behaviour and Strategic Intel for Hotels, Restaurants and Hospitality Brands.

Dawn Gribble

Dec 11, 2023

In this week's Hospitality Highlights Newsletter

🚀 Top Marketing News

🔮 Instagram Provides Future Trend Predictions in ‘2024 Trend Talk’
🌍 Instagram Threads Search Now Supports ‘All Languages’ in Latest Update
🎵 Pulse Premier for TikTok Now Available in UK
🎁 Snapchat Launches Snapchat+ Gift Memberships for Christmas
🤖 AI Pretenders Infiltrating Influencer Marketing in Australia

🍽️ Restaurant News

🍽️ Digital Guests Are Less Satisfied with Their Experiences Than Dine-In Guests
📸 Photos Leak of McDonald's New Space Age Spinoff Restaurant 'CosMc's'
🎁 Panera Launches Unlimited Sip Club Gift Cards
🤯 Woman Avoids £50,000 Restaurant Bill after QR Code & Social Media Mishap
🎄 Uber Eats Adds Marketing Tools to Bolster Restaurants’ Holiday Sales

🍷 Food & Beverage News

🤖 What Coca-Cola’s Generative AI Experiments Mean for the Brand’s Future
🥂 Smirnoff Celebrates Connection in New Global Campaign
💰 The Kikkoman Soy Sauce Bottle Is Priceless
🍷 Researchers Decode the Cause of Red Wine Headaches
🌱 Plans for Universal Eco-Label Revealed

🛎️ Hotel and Travel News

🏨 Hilton CMO on Why Its ‘For the Stay’ Campaign Is the Hotel’s ‘Just Do It’
🧳 Gen Z Women Empowered to Travel Solo
🏕️ Marriott Bonvoy and CAMP Reimagine Family Vacationing Through Immersive Camp Club Experiences
♿ Tui Releases Accessibility Guides to 200 Hotels
✨ Jumeirah CEO: The Rise of Luxury Travel Speaks to a Deeper Cultural Shift

☕ Let’s Check In!

🚀 Marketing News

🔮 Instagram Provides Future Trend Predictions in ‘2024 Trend Talk’

Instagram has revealed key trend predictions for 2024 through its "2024 Trend Talk," indicating a shift towards prioritising "meaningful connections" and private group interaction on social media.

The report explores top "icks," food trends, dating and Gen Z engagement with celebrities on Instagram, offering insights into the interests of younger audiences.

💡 The report finds that Gen Z are interested in trying trending foods and ingredients, with 45% saying they are interested in consuming vegan products, and 42% saying they are interested in trying plant based meat.

🌍 Instagram Threads Search Now Supports ‘All Languages’ in Latest Update

Threads, Instagram's X rival app, is expanding its keyword search feature to all markets where the app is available. It now supports all languages, making it more useful to its global audience of nearly 100 million monthly users. The expansion includes upcoming launches in the EU and the addition of a view-only mode.

💡 Great news for venues marketing to global audiences! In light of Elon Musk’s charming advice to advertisers on X recently (which I will not repeat here), we’re seeing more brands move to Threads.

With Instagram’s infrastructure behind it, Threads is the channel to watch for hospitality brands in 2024.

🎵 Pulse Premier for TikTok Now Available in UK

TikTok is launching its 'Pulse Premiere' advertising solution in the UK.

The feature allows advertisers to place their ads directly after premium publisher content on TikTok's 'For You' feed, these placements can increase ad recall by 10.5% and awareness by 5.7%.

Pulse Premiere partners include Buzzfeed, Conde Nast, Dotdash Meredith, Hearst Magazines, MLS, NBCUniversal, UFC, Vox Media and WWE, giving advertisers control to place their ads next to content that is most relevant and suitable for their brand.

💡 This gives hospitality brands the opportunity to align themselves with credible partners, if your venue wants to reach Gen Z then TikTok is the channel to connect with them.

🎁 Snapchat Launches Snapchat+ Gift Memberships for Christmas

Snapchat has launched Snapchat+ gift memberships, allowing users to purchase subscriptions as gifts via Amazon. The subscription tier offers access to custom icons, in-app badges, colour options, and Best Friend pinning.

According to Snap, with a Snapchat+ subscription, users can customise conversations with unique chat wallpapers, bring holiday cheer with seasonal icons, and pin their #1 BFF for quick communication.

The new gifting option is expected to drive increased sign-ups for Snapchat+ memberships, expanding Snap's supplemental income stream.

💡 The future of social media is paid premium experiences, and we can see this is the case with Snap.

What’s important to note is the buy-in of customising your channels, this increases engagement and is likely to improve customer lifetime value as the cost-sunk fallacy, and loyalty drivers kick in, keeping users connected to the platform in the long-term.

🤖 AI Pretenders Infiltrating Influencer Marketing in Australia

AI influencers are making a significant impact in the Australian marketing sector with the ability to be created quickly and at a lower cost compared to humans.

Industry insiders foresee AI influencers challenging traditional marketing methods by offering brands more content creation possibilities at a fraction of the time and cost.

However, concerns are raised regarding the potential lack of genuine connection and relatability in AI influencers, as well as the ethical implications of AI-generated content tricking consumers.

🤔 Would you work with an AI influencer? Let me know in the comments

🍽️ Restaurant News

🍽️ Digital Guests Are Less Satisfied with Their Experiences Than Dine-In Guests

The latest Happy Customer Index report finds that digital guests' have lower satisfaction than dine-in guests.

To-go experiences received an average rating of 3.40 stars out of 5, delivery services received 3.02 stars, and mobile apps received the lowest at 2.33 stars.

Taco Bell, for instance, generates 32% of Reddit conversations among the top 10 quick-service restaurants – far more than its peers – but conversations have predominantly focused on dissatisfaction with the brand's app, including order inaccuracies, glitches, and usability challenges.

Delivery has improved the most over the past year, likely due to brands' increased focus on digital business, such as redistributing labour to digital makelines and adding features like pickup shelves or location-based technology.

💡 It’s always going to be difficult to recreate the in-store experience for diners at home, however this is where tactics like personalised notes and surprise and delight can boost customer happiness.

Experiment with QR codes that lead at-home diners to an immersive experience - like a game, loyalty program or playlist.

📸 McDonald's Spinoff Restaurant 'CosMc's'

McDonald's is set to unveil its new space-themed restaurant, CosMc's, in a Chicago suburb, drawing inspiration from the ET character featured in 1980s commercials.

The restaurant will debut early next year and feature an array of unique drinks, including coffee, iced teas, lemonades, and a lineup of energy drinks called "signature galactic boosts." The menu will include a Pear Slushy, Blueberry Ginger Boost, Churro Frappe, and a Spicy Queso Sandwich.

Although CosMc's will have its own distinct brand identity, it will retain the global essence of McDonald's. The new restaurant's logo will replace the familiar golden arches with a modern navy blue and yellow palette.

💡 What threat will CosMc’s pose to Starbucks? One thing’s for sure, Gen Z is at the heart of McDonald’s focus.

Think about how you can cater to each generation throughout their lives as McDonald’s has.

🎁 Panera Launches Unlimited Sip Club Gift Cards

Panera has introduced the Unlimited Sip Club gifting option, allowing customers to gift unlimited coffee, tea, and iced beverages via gift cards.

Recipients can use these gift cards to sign up for the club, choosing from monthly or annual subscription plans starting at $11.99 per month or $99 for a year with a unique code. The promotion also includes a $10 bonus card for every $50 of Panera gift cards purchased or reloaded.

💡 In 2024 I expect to see more restaurants offering subscription and gifting services, have you explored this option for your venue? If you cater to commuters and workers this could be a lucrative income stream.

🤯 Woman Avoids £50,000 Restaurant Bill after QR Code & Social Media Mishap

A Chinese woman in Yunnan province avoided a jaw-dropping CN¥430,000 (£50,000) bill from a hot pot restaurant after unwittingly posting a photo featuring the QR code for ordering on WeChat.

This prompted pranksters to order 2,580 portions of squid, 9,900 portions of shrimp paste, and 1,850 portions of fresh duck blood, along with other items for her table. The restaurant moved the woman to a different table and disregarded further orders to prevent the colossal bill. The incident led to a change in the restaurant's ordering system.

This case parallels a similar trend at UK universities, where students would request food and drink in Wetherspoons via social media, resulting in unintended and excessive orders, much to the annoyance of pub employees.

💡 Something to ask your vendor about when you set-up your QR code ordering systems!

🎄 Uber Eats Adds Marketing Tools to Bolster Restaurants’ Holiday Sales

Uber Eats has unveiled three new marketing tools to help restaurants enhance holiday sales and facilitate consumer and restaurant retention.

The features include:

Holiday happy hour.
Multi-location offer.
Percentage offers aimed at enticing new and existing consumers.

💡 Check out these new features before your competition do!

🍷 Food & Beverage News

🤖 What Coca-Cola’s Generative AI Experiments Mean for the Brand’s Future

Coca-Cola has embraced generative AI through its "Create Real Magic" platform, a venture in partnership with management consultancy Bain & Company and OpenAI.

The initiative has yielded successful results, with over 120,000 pieces of engaging content created and significant user interaction. This has led to the integration of generative AI in the brand's Christmas campaign, enabling people to create and share their own personalised Christmas cards.

President Selman Careaga said it is essential to balance human intelligence with AI for scalable personalisation while upholding Coca-Cola's core values of authenticity, optimism, and uplifting experiences.

💡 Have you explored AI yet?

🥂 Smirnoff Celebrates Connection in New Global Campaign

Smirnoff has launched a global campaign across 20+ countries to celebrate social connections. The campaign was inspired by research indicating a decline in emotional ties among young adults, with 79% feeling weaker connections compared to previous years.

In the U.K., Smirnoff partnered with Stonegate to enhance socialisation, including accessibility features for disabled guests. In the U.S., a national TV campaign and custom fan base-centric spots aim to connect through sports, while in Brazil, Smirnoff partnered with singer Iza for a dance challenge and interactive billboards.

Alcohol brands like Jim Beam and Stella Artois are also highlighting human connection in their marketing strategies.

💡 Connection and personalisation are the key trends driving winning brands forward. It all starts with having a very clear idea of your target audience segments. I highly recommend creating buyer personas and mapping the customer journey for each segment. This will help you identify areas where you can strengthen emotional connections.

💰 The Kikkoman Soy Sauce Bottle Is Priceless

A staple in Japanese restaurants across America, Kikkoman soy sauce bottles have gained cultural significance and collector's value.

A three-year development and 100 prototypes led to Kenji Ekuan's iconic 1961 design. Speciality releases, collaborations with icons like Hello Kitty, and unique designs have made these bottles highly coveted, sometimes fetching upwards of $300.

Steve Ketcham, former president of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, says eye-catching and historic bottles are valuable. Because Kikkoman transcends cultures, it remains relevant and universally appreciated across generations.

💡 With so many products fighting for attention on shelves and online, distinctive packaging can really help a brand stand out. Though as Kikkoman have proved, it takes time and effort to get it right, so don’t settle for a quick-fix if you want to make an impact with your brand.

🍷 Researchers Decode the Cause of Red Wine Headaches

Recent US research has identified the cause of red wine-induced headaches by linking them to quercetin and its glycosides, which inhibit ALDH2, the enzyme that metabolises acetaldehyde.

Sunlight increases quercetin concentrations in red grapes, so pricier red wines have more.

According to Morris Levin from the University of California, San Francisco, human-subject testing is the next step in the research phase.

💡 Good news for migraine sufferers! I’ll keep an eye on this developing story, as this could open up wine experiences for a brand new audience who are wary of drinking.

🌱 Plans for Universal Eco-Label Revealed

The industry-funded charity IGD wants to simplify the current array of competing eco-labels for UK food and drink. The proposed label uses red, amber, and green lights with an A-E rating system based on the concept of planetary boundaries. A life cycle assessment scores products on climate change, water use, water quality, and land use. Sarah Bradbury, CEO of IGD, says the label poses challenges for products with a high carbon footprint, like red meat.

Some NGOs, however, say the proposal is too simplistic, narrow, and dominated by the food industry. Clear, the Sustainable Food Trust and Compassion in World Farming have written to Defra Secretary of State Steve Barclay to express concerns about the recommendations.

“Consumers wish to be equipped to understand more fully how their food has been produced and it is right that the government is considering how food labelling can help, however, a simplistic and narrow approach is not appropriate. It is crucial that the wide range of stakeholders involved in our food system are included. There is a great deal going on to support this happening yet neglecting this broad range of expertise and experience by taking a single industry-driven approach will fall far short of delivering a meaningful and robust basis for making sustainability claims for food products.”

💡 This made me stop and think about what it means to be a consumer today.

We’re no longer simply purchasing from a company - we’re becoming experts in sustainability, environmental footprint, flight costs, insurance packages, cultural curators, the list goes on… does your messaging and online experience meet new standards and expectations?

🛎️ Hotel and Travel News

🏨 Hilton CMO on Why Its ‘For the Stay’ Campaign Is the Hotel’s ‘Just Do It’

In an interview with Hotel Dive, Hilton's CMO, Mark Weinstein, likened the "For the Stay" marketing platform to Nike's famous "Just Do It" campaign, underscoring the challenge of accurately portraying travel in marketing.

"If [hotel companies] are all saying the same thing, and all have the same message, we're advertising travel — we're not advertising our unique role in travel."

According to Weinstein, Hilton's unique approach to marketing, which promotes staying and being rewarded, and the success of their 10-minute TikTok video demonstrates how they provide a sanctuary from travel chaos.

💡 Mark raises a really good point here, it pains me when I see hotels advertising empty restaurants, empty lobbies etc. you need to sell the real-world experience of your venue!

🧳 Gen Z Women Empowered to Travel Solo

A recent survey by StudentUniverse reveals that over half of Gen Z women are keen on travelling solo abroad, with 83% drawing inspiration from the journeys of others, including historical figures and social media influencers.

Motivated by self-discovery and a desire to step out of their comfort zones, many seek relaxation on beach vacations, with sightseeing and wellness activities also ranking high. Europe is the top destination, followed by the South Pacific and East Asia. However, safety concerns, such as getting lost or scammed, remain significant, influencing accommodation preferences.

52.6% prefer hotels over vacation rentals (23.2%) and 18% who prefer private rooms in hostels.

💡 These findings show that travel companies must prioritise safety and comfort in their messaging to attract this demographic.

🏕️ Marriott Bonvoy and CAMP Reimagine Family Vacationing Through Immersive Camp Club Experiences

Marriott Bonvoy has partnered with CAMP to launch a family experience program offered at Marriott hotels worldwide following a successful trial run in 2022.

The program promises families an unforgettable stay with tailored activities, themed environments, and immersive experiences for kids, teens and tweens.

Each CAMP Club will be themed to fit the location, with a focus on sensory, visual, and experiential play with creative workshops, interactive play and themed environments.

This collaboration is set to expand to All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy locations in 2024 and further across Marriott Bonvoy brands in the future.

💡 Experience is everything! How can you work with local partners to create immersive family experiences at your venue?

♿ TUI Releases Accessibility Guides to 200 Hotels

TUI UK & Ireland has launched accessibility guides for 200 hotels in collaboration with AccessAble, with plans for a further 200 to be surveyed next year.

The detailed guides on TUI's website aim to provide essential accessibility information for travellers with unique needs. Sue Bradley, TUI's customer experience director, noted a 56% increase in accessible holiday bookings since 2022 and stressed the importance of reliable accessibility details for stress-free travel planning.

Dr Gregory Burke, the founder of AccessAble, stressed the importance of accurate accessibility information in empowering disabled people to travel confidently, pointing out how AccessAble has helped over six million people in the last year with accessibility information.

💡 Great initiative from TUI, all too often information for disabled guests is scarce on hotel websites. Speak with local charities and groups to design spaces that are not just accessible, but have sensory friendly areas for people with hidden disabilities like Autism.

✨ Jumeirah CEO: The Rise of Luxury Travel Speaks to a Deeper Cultural Shift

The luxury travel market is booming, with millennials and Gen Z driving 80% of luxury spending by 2030, prioritising experiences over possessions, says Jumeirah Group CEO Katerina Giannouka.

In 2024, the brand aims to redefine luxury through purpose-driven experiences beyond opulence. The objective of Jumeirah Group's Mission 2030 strategic roadmap is to expand globally and offer personalised guest experiences through technology.

Jumeirah's wellness strategy will focus on holistic well-being with initiatives like lifelong learning, longevity, inclusivity, and branded residences designed for family engagement.

💡 Jumeirah joins the leading brands in focusing on creating truly personalised experiences. This will be a competitive advantage in the years to come.

Interesting Reads

On my daily digital channels I often find stories which aren't marketing focused, but are interesting nonetheless.

Recommended Resources

Coming Soon

2024 Digital Marketing Trends Webinar
#AskDawnGribble Weekly Podcast -Answering the Hospitality Industry’s Marketing Questions
Guide to Generative AI
Facebook Marketing Trends Deep Dive
Influencer Marketing Course

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That’s a wrap for the week!

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any feedback or suggestions for future topics.

Here's to Your Success 🥂