More than 800 hospitality sales and marketing leaders gathered at the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) annual Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis to recognize excellence in travel advertising, digital marketing, and public relations.
This year’s award winners are making the future of hospitality brighter and better with their thought leadership and creative approaches to marketing challenges.
“The 2019 competition was fierce — entries had bold ideas and brilliant execution,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “The winning Adrian Award campaigns went above and beyond, leading the future of hospitality marketing with impactful and dynamic campaigns that achieved measurable success for their brands.”
For 63 years the Adrian Awards have spotlighted excellence in hospitality advertising, digital marketing, and public relations. This year’s Award winners were selected from more than 1,100 entries by senior industry and media experts for the following entry categories: advertising, digital marketing, public relations, and integrated marketing.
Gold Award winners across each category were recognized during the Adrian Awards Dinner Reception, which was co-sponsored by HSMAI, Google, and TravelClick, an Amadeus Company. Platinum winners receive the highest honor among each category’s Gold Award winners.
The highly anticipated Best of Show awards were chosen from the Platinum Award winners for three divisions: digital marketing, public relations, and advertising. The 2019 Best of Show winners are:
Digital Marketing “Best of Show” – Super 8 by Wyndham; Citizen Relations, Questus, Mullenlowe Mediahub, for its Super 8 #JOURNEYSAFE campaign
Public Relations “Best of Show” – The National WWII Museum and its agency, MMGY NJF, for The National WWII Museum | Owning an Entire News Cycle: D-Day with The National WWII Museum campaign
Advertising “Best of Show” – Ritz-Carlton Marriott International for its Stellar Dining Series
Advertising Platinum Winners:
Company; Agency
- Best Western Hotels & Resorts; Ideas Collide; Initiative
- Discover Puerto Rico; Miles Partnership
- Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism; Target
- Ritz-Carlton Marriott International
- The Aruba Tourism Authority; Concept Farm, USIM
Digital Marketing Platinum Winners:
Company; Agency
- AccorHotels, Fairmont Hotel and Resorts
- The British Virgin Islands Tourism Board & Film Commission; MMGY Myriad
- Marriott International; Facebook, The Lacek Group, M1M – Publicis Virtue, 160Over90, Telescope
- Red Roof
- United Airlines; 360i
- Visit Seattle; PB&
- Super 8 by Wyndham; Citizen Relations, Questus, Mullenlowe Mediahub
Public Relations Platinum Winners:
Company; Agency
- Contiki; The Decker/Royal Agency
- Discover Dominica Authority; MMGY Myriad
- DoubleTree by Hilton; Edelman
- MCR and MORSE Development; BerlinRosen
- Travel Michigan; Weber Shandwick
- The James New York – NoMad; MMGY NJF
- The National WWII Museum; MMGY NJF
- Visit North Carolina & Discover South Carolina; Luquire George Andrews
- VisitScotland; Laura Davidson Public Relations
Integrated Marketing Campaign Platinum Winners:
Company; Agency
- Marriott International
- The Aruba Tourism Authority; Concept Farm
HSMAI Foundation Talent & Leadership Award Winners:
Company; Agency, Category
- SALT Hotels; MMGY NJF; Attracting new talent
- Marriott International; Mitchell Communication Group; Developing emerging talent
- Terranea Resort; Engaging existing talent
“This year’s Adrian Awards winners showed remarkable ingenuity and truly embraced new techniques in their campaigns,” said Fran Brasseux, HSMAI’s executive vice president.
A panel of senior industry executives selected the HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization for 2019. Each extraordinary mind was honored by HSMAI at a reception and celebrated onstage during the Adrians Gala.
HSMAI also honored two industry leaders with HSMAI Lifetime Achievement awards. Bjorn Hanson, Ph.D., executive vice president, 795 Fifth Avenue Corporation, and director, Summit Hotel Properties, was recognized with the 2019 Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations.
“From my first day working a hotel to tonight, HSMAI has been among the most important influences in my career,” said Hanson. “Thank you for this wonderful moment and memory for my family and me.”
Leland “Lee” Pillsbury, managing director, Thayer Ventures, was the recipient of the 2019 Albert E. Koehl Award for Hospitality Marketing. “We are in a service business, and that will never change”, said Pillsbury. “HSMAI has always stood for those values, and that is what makes this award so meaningful for me. I’m honored and humbled to receive this award and to join the extraordinary list of previous award winners.”
The Facebook Mobile Video Award went to DoubleTree by Hilton for its Cookies in Space campaign. In addition, the Corporate Social Responsibility Award was presented to Rosen Hotels & Resorts for its Tangelo Park Program.
HSMAI’s Adrian Awards Gala is featured in BizBash’s Top 100 Events in New York. Access this year’s event photos to view the excitement of the winners at the Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala. Please credit “Natural Expressions NY for HSMAI” when using event photos.
