📌 Hospitality Highlights: 19th February 2024
Discover the newest Instagram features, Pinterest colour trends, and Google's crackdown on fake reviews
🚀 Top Marketing News
🔍 Meta Testing New Verified Comment Filtering Option
🎨 Pinterest Highlights Key Colour Trends for 2024
📷 Instagram Tests Carousel Posts Within the Reels Stream
🔍 Google Reports 45% Increase in Takedown of Fake Reviews
📈 X to Allow Advertisers to Run Ads Next to a 'Curated List' of Creators
🍽️ Restaurant Marketing News
🍳 Wendy’s to Invest $55M in Breakfast Ads
🌮 Taco Bell Unveils Its 2024 Marketing Calendar
🗓️ Restaurant Brands Leap Day Promotions
🍔 Owner MrBeast Burger Launches a TikTok Concept
🛡️ Vegan Restaurant Struggles with Trolls
🛎️ Hotel and Travel Marketing News
🏆 MGM Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy Tier Matching Now Live
✈️ Air Canada to Honor Refund Policy Invented by Airline’s Chatbot
📢 Most Influencers Fail to Admit to Advertising, EU Study Shows
🌐 Travel Market to Surpass 2429.32 Billion by 2030
🏨 Marriott Ad Network Rollout Continues
Plus
Hospitality Industry Insights
Food & Beverage News
Middle East Hospitality Headlines
☕ Let’s Check In!
🚀 Marketing News
🔍 Meta Testing New Verified Comment Filtering Option
Meta has introduced a new Verified comment filtering feature on Instagram to allow users to prioritise engagement from celebrities and paid verified accounts.
With this feature, users can sort comment posts based on algorithmic filters or by Meta Verified accounts. The objective is to provide extra exclusivity to paying subscribers and reduce bot interactions.
Source: Lia Haberman
💡 The sorting tool could help hospitality businesses engage with verified accounts, such as celebrities and influential personalities, to enhance collaborations and increase visibility.
Engaging with verified accounts may help businesses ensure more genuine interactions and connections, which could increase their brand's credibility and presence among competitive hospitality brands.
Learn more: Instagram Community Management Guide
🎨 Pinterest Highlights Key Colour Trends for 2024
In a recent report, Pinterest revealed five key colour palettes predicted to dominate trends in 2024. An overview chart shows the usage of Gummy Pink, Desert Orange, Aqua Blue, Moss Green, and Mocha Brown across various Pins.
Marketers using this insight can align their creative strategies with prevailing trends, potentially enhancing the appeal of their content throughout the year.
Source: Pinterest
💡 Hospitality businesses can appeal to consumers' evolving aesthetic preferences by incorporating these prominent hues into branding, interior design, and visual content. Colours like these help create visually appealing, trend-forward experiences that attract and engage target audiences.
Learn more: What Your Brand Says About Your Business
📷 Instagram Tests Carousel Posts Within the Reels Stream
Instagram is experimenting with a new feature allowing users to create carousels within Reels. This new feature enables users to post multiple videos and still images in a single Reel. Interestingly, this move is quite similar to the functionality already available on TikTok. It suggests a trend of mutual replication between the two platforms.
Source: Radu Oncescu
💡 With this feature, hotels and restaurants will be able to showcase their offerings and engage with their audience more creatively. These new posting options will expand channel storytelling capabilities, allowing for an enriched consumer experience and a wider reach within the Instagram community.
Learn more: Instagram Strategy for Hospitality - Content Creation
🔍 Google Reports 45% Increase in Takedown of Fake Reviews
Google announced that its new review algorithm led to a 45% increase in removing fake reviews from local listings on Google Search and Google Maps in 2023.
The algorithm can swiftly identify and eliminate questionable review patterns, such as repeated reviews across multiple businesses or sudden spikes in 1 or 5-star ratings.
As a result, over 170 million policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed, and more than 12 million fake business profiles were eliminated.
Source: Google
💡 I was researching a hotel the other day that had recently had a change in General Manager. The hotel and rooms looked lovely on the website, but when I went to look at the reviews, I encountered a very different story, with several guests complaining that the rooms were dirty, outdated and didn't match the visuals on the website. Here's an example of a picture from a recent guest - hardly 5-star.
Their Google reviews showed a rating of 4/5 with several 5-star reviews, yet other sites rated the hotel at 2.7/10 - taking the time to look at the most recent reviews, a clear pattern emerged.
All of the 5-star reviews were placed after the new GM arrived, with several reviews added within a few hours - this didn't match the pattern of previous reviews and other 1-star reviews coming in.
Whether they’re doing this in-house or if they’ve hired a dodgy agency, they’ve tried to make the review look genuine by mentioning staff member names in the reviews. Digging deeper into the reviewers, I found that most had left 1 or 2 reviews at most - another red flag. I shall check back on the listing in a few month's time to see if the reviews are still present. I’ll be very surprised if they are.
Even though it may be tempting to buy a service that promises to enhance your reputation through reviews - do not do this! If you’re getting negative reviews from guests, then something needs to be done about your service, in which case a Mystery Shopper of Customer Experience audit can help.
📈 X to Allow Advertisers to Run Ads Next to a 'Curated List' of Creators
X has announced a new feature which enables advertisers to choose specific creators' content to run their ads alongside, providing more control over the placement of their ads. This step aims to prevent ads from appearing near controversial or offensive content, following previous incidents where ads were seen next to unwanted material.
The platform plans to allow brands to serve ads exclusively on an individual creator's profile. This will help to eliminate the risk of associating contentious posts with the brand.
Source: X Blog
💡 Using a curated list of premium content creators and pre-roll video ads against their content, hospitality brands will have greater control and assurance that their ads won't appear next to inappropriate or controversial content.
Learn more: Influencer Marketing Guide for Hospitality
Enjoying this content? Share it with friends who could benefit too!
🍽️ Restaurant and F&B News
🍳 Wendy’s to Invest $55M in Breakfast Ads
Wendy's has announced a hefty investment of $55 million over two years in promoting its breakfast menu, aiming to boost sales in North America significantly. The newly appointed CEO, Kirk Tanner, is optimistic that this substantial advertising effort could propel breakfast sales by 50%, with a targeted sales rate of approximately $6,000 per store per week.
This strategic move follows Wendy's previous emphasis on breakfast and late-night dining as potential drivers for sales growth amidst challenges with U.S. store traffic and slower sales growth compared to key competitors.
Source: Wendy’s
💡 Wendy's investment in promoting its breakfast offerings illustrates the importance of identifying and capitalising on overlooked dayparts, such as breakfast, to drive sales and mitigate challenges resulting from changing consumer spending patterns.
Use social media polls and email surveys to gauge interest from existing customers.
Learn more: What is Third, First and Zero-Party Data?
🌮 Taco Bell Unveils Its 2024 Marketing Calendar
Taco Bell recently shared its marketing calendar, which features the brand's upcoming menu introductions, focusing on chicken items, new dessert offerings, and collaborations with brands such as Salt & Straw and Tajin. Taco Bell also introduced the TBX program, collaborating with three young chefs to develop an innovative Crunchwrap.
This new approach is a shift towards transparency and engagement with the brand's fans, moving away from the traditional strategy of closely protecting product launches.
Source: Restaurant Business
💡 This approach by Taco Bell sets a new precedent for marketing in the hospitality industry; it's reminiscent of Marvel releasing their upcoming Movie slate to drive anticipation with viewers.
Involving fans in product development demonstrates a commitment to authenticity and consumer engagement, catering to the modern consumer's desire for transparency and co-creation.
Learn more: Hospitality Marketing Trends 2024
🗓️ Restaurant Brands Leap Day Promotions
Several US restaurant brands have included Leap Day in their promotional calendars by offering special deals and experiences. For example, Melting Pot is hosting an "Ultimate Leap-posal" contest, where winners will receive a year of fondue date nights. Legal Seafoods offers a steamed lobster special at a discounted price of $29. Cowboy Chicken is celebrating Leap Day birthdays by giving out free wood-fire rotisserie chicken to those born on February 29.
Source: Nation’s Restaurant News
💡 By incorporating Leap Day promotions into their marketing strategies, these restaurant brands highlight the potential for creative and engaging marketing.
Unique calendar events are great for attracting attention, driving foot traffic, encouraging customer participation, and boosting brand loyalty.
Learn more: How to Plan Social Media Holiday Campaigns
🍔 Owner of MrBeast Burger Launches a TikTok Concept
Creators' Kitchen, a virtual brand from the creators of MrBeast Burger, has launched to offer popular TikTok dishes for delivery and pickup across 100+ locations in 32 American states.
With its Italian-focused debut menu, the brand showcases viral TikTok dishes like baked feta pasta and fried lasagne, attributing credit to the TikTok users who popularised them. Creators' Kitchen invites creators to become affiliates, contributing to new menu items and promoting them in exchange for a share in the sales.
Source: Restaurant Business
💡 This innovative approach really demonstrates the significant influence of TikTok in shaping food and beverage trends, presenting unique marketing implications for the industry.
In embracing viral food trends, encouraging user participation, and maximising the use of your existing restaurant kitchens, this marketing strategy engages consumers and drives sales.
Learn more: Restaurant Marketing Services & Resources
🛡️ Vegan Restaurant Struggles with Trolls
Jim Anderson and his wife Samantha faced a barrage of online abuse when they opened their vegan restaurant, the Oak Tree, in 2013. The relentless attacks have forced them to drop the "V-word" from their menu and social media, with up to 10 people being blocked daily.
Sadly, this isn't unique to their restaurant. Vegan eateries across the UK are struggling due to soaring costs, changing appetites, and the online culture war trolls who see them as a threat to their way of life. These challenges have led some venues to close, while others have added meat to their menus as a survival strategy.
Source: The Guardian
💡 Knowing the best way to respond to this type of negative engagement can be difficult.
Instead of shying away from social media, the restaurant should double down on these platforms to showcase its delicious and innovative plant-based creations. Storytelling through video and pictures across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok can create an emotional connection, driving customer loyalty and support.
Posting content about health and environmental benefits, sharing customer testimonials, and proactively engaging with the community will help combat negativity and build a loyal customer base. Joining forces with like-minded experience and lifestyle brands can amplify their marketing reach and foster a supportive network.
Learn more: Managing a Social Media Crisis
Upgrade to premium membership for exclusive benefits, including a Monthly Strategic Update and Full Library Access. Maximise your Return on Intelligence
🛎️ Hotel and Travel News
🏆 MGM Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy Tier Matching Now Live
Marriott and MGM are collaborating to incorporate the MGM Collection into the Marriott Bonvoy guest loyalty programme. This new partnership offers a tier matching system, allowing members of MGM Rewards to upgrade their Marriott Bonvoy status to enjoy various benefits, such as complimentary in-room Wi-Fi and bonus points on spending.
By converging the customer bases of both entities, Marriott and MGM are set to enrich their offerings, delivering an interconnected experience that promises added value for their guests.
Source: Loyalty Lobby
💡 This strategic move places a premium on reciprocal loyalty rewards to secure long-standing customer relationships and attract new clientele seeking multifaceted hospitality experiences.
Explore ways to forge strategic partnerships with other industry players, including airlines, local businesses, and experience providers, to create comprehensive premium loyalty offerings that provide added value and enrich the overall guest experience.
Learn more: 2024 Hospitality Trends
✈️ Air Canada to Honor Refund Policy Invented by Airline’s Chatbot
After the loss of his grandmother, Jake Moffatt sought to book a bereavement flight with Air Canada. Unsure of how the airline's bereavement rates worked, Moffatt asked Air Canada's chatbot to explain.
The chatbot provided inaccurate information, encouraging Moffatt to book a flight immediately and request a refund within 90 days. In reality, Air Canada's policy explicitly states that the airline will not provide refunds for bereavement travel after a flight is booked.
Despite his efforts to explain the situation, Air Canada initially refused a refund. After a prolonged dispute where the airline argued that the chatbot was a separate legal entity, the courts ruled in favour of Moffatt, awarding him a refund.
Source: ARS Technica
💡 This case serves as a cautionary tale and highlights the need for businesses to ensure that their AI-powered customer service tools provide accurate and reliable information. Inaccurate guidance can lead to customer dissatisfaction, legal disputes, and potentially damaged brand reputation.
Learn more: Generative AI: What Hospitality Leaders Need to Know
📢 Most Influencers Fail to Admit to Advertising, EU Study Shows
According to a recent study by the European Commission, there is a worrying trend in influencer marketing. The study examined 576 influencers and found that 97% shared commercial content, but only 20% consistently disclosed that the content was advertising, as required by EU law.
The study examined various social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, Snapchat, and Twitch, and revealed that some influencers are not following consumer protection laws. Moreover, the study found that 119 influencers were promoting potentially harmful activities like junk food, alcoholic beverages, medical or aesthetic treatments, gambling, and financial services.
Source: Brand Equity
💡 Given the prevalence of influencer endorsements related to travel and food experiences, hotels within this sector must ensure that influencers comply with advertising regulations.
Transparent disclosure of commercial content by influencers is legally mandated and essential in maintaining consumer trust and ensuring ethical marketing practices. Failure to do so could lead to legal ramifications and damage the brand's credibility in the eyes of consumers.
Learn more: Influencer Marketing Guide for Hospitality
🌐 Travel Market to Surpass 2429.32 Billion by 2030
A new report forecasts the online travel market to reach a value of USD 2429.32 billion by 2030, propelled by a surge in consumer interest in immersive experiences.
Key drivers include the impact of social media, driving individuals to seek visually appealing and shareable experiences, resulting in a boost for online travel agencies. The rapid growth of online booking, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, is expected to dominate the market, driven by consumers' increasing reliance on OTAs.
Source: Globe News Wire
💡 For hotels to market effectively, they need visually engaging, shareable experiences to attract and retain customers. Strong partnerships and visibility on social media and OTAs are essential for hospitality businesses looking to benefit from this growing trend.
Learn more: 5 Reasons Why Your Hotel Needs to Be Amazing Online
🏨 Marriott Ad Network Rollout Continues
The Marriott Media Network, which launched in May 2022 continues its rollout. The network allows non-hotel marketers to advertise on Marriott's website and app and, later on, in-room TVs and digital screens in lobbies.
Despite switching technology partners from Yahoo to Google, Marriott has reported high demand for their media network from advertisers. They are taking a thoughtful approach to rolling out this program by prioritising valuable content and enhancing guest interactions and experiences.
Source: Skift
💡 Marriott's efforts may usher in a new targeted and personalised marketing era.
This strategic approach in delivering content from advertisers signals a potential shift towards more tailored and relevant marketing materials, which could deeply impact how companies approach advertising to hotel guests in the future.
Have you considered adding advertising opportunities to your venue's display marketing?
Learn more: Customer Experience in an Interactive Age
Hospitality Industry Insights
✈️ European Corporates Increase Spending on Flights (BTE)
📊 Marriott Reports 15% RevPAR Growth for 2023 (HM)
🏡 Airbnb Agrees to Collect and Pay Tourist Taxes in Italy (Sk)
☕️ Starbucks Plans to Make Its Coffee Shops More Accessible (RBO)
🌍 Restaurant Brands International Aims for 40K Stores Globally by 2028 (RD)
Food & Beverage News
🥤 Coke Launches 'Foodmarks' Campaign with Global Activations (EM)
🎮 How to Match Drinks with Video Games (TDB)
🌾 Lab-Grown ‘Beef Rice’ Could Offer More Sustainable Protein Source (TG)
🥃 The Glenlivet Uses Blockchain Technology to Sell 50-Year-Old Whisky Collection (De)
🛒 Beverages Play Key Role in Driving Bigger Sales (Re)
🌿 Amsterdam Goes Vegan: “First EU Capital” to Endorse the Plant-Based Treaty (FIF)
Middle East Hospitality Headlines
📈 Majid Al Futtaim Lifestyle Reveals Rise of Influencer Marketing, Consumer Spends, Upcoming Trends (AB)
🚗 Gen X Driving GCC Outbound Travel (DC)
✈️ Emirates Set for Adelaide Return with Daily Dubai Flights from October (HM)
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia's Latest Tourism Count – What the Numbers Show (Sk)
🍽️ MENA 50 Best 2024: UAE Restaurants that Made the Cut (WO)
✈️ Saudi Travel Market 2024 Marks as Catalyst for Trade Industry (TTW)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That’s a wrap for the week! I'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions for future topics. Here's to Your Success 🥂