Marriott International has launched a new digital campaign, starring Grace Helbig (Grace Helbig Show, It’s Grace) that highlights the benefits for consumers who book their hotel stays directly on Marriott.com. The campaign – “#itpaystobookdirect” – uses talent from the digital and social world to go directly to consumers on those channels.
“With this campaign, we want to make sure every consumer knows why it pays to book their stays with us directly, either on Marriott.com, through our Global Reservation Centers, or by contacting the hotel directly,” said Drew Pinto, vice president, distribution strategy for Marriott. “Our guests who book direct get access to our best rates, every room we have available and the most accurate and trustworthy information about our hotels. Booking direct is also best way for customers to personalize their stay with us.”
Each of the 30 and 60 second “#itpaystobookdirect” spots injects humor in communicating the benefits of booking hotel stays directly on Marriott.com. The campaign features Grace Helbig jumping into different scenarios to teach people the why it makes more sense to be direct.
In the “Proposal,” (above) Grace rescues a stammering boyfriend who is equating his love for his girlfriend to cheese inside a baked potato.
In the “Interview,” Grace comes to the aid of a boss asking a recruit ridiculous questions like, “If you could be one aquatic mammal, what would it be?”
Marriott’s Content Studio led the overall creative development for the campaign partnering with Above Average, an online destination for original comedic videos and written content featuring the industry’s top creators, celebrities, and rising talent. It is the company’s first collaboration with Above Average as part of a recently signed development deal. Above Average is the digital arm of Broadway Video, the production company behind Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show.
