#SocMedSleepover campaign for Perth’s Terrace Hotel wins global hotel marketing award
Hotels magazine has named The Terrace Hotel’s #SocMedSleepover as a winner of the Best Integrated Digital Campaign in the 2013 Social Hotel Awards, sharing the award with the Intercontinental New York Barclay.
In what is believed to be a first for any hotel in Australia, The Terrace Hotel held a Social Media Sleepover, hash-tagged #SocMedSleepover, which brought a cross section of social media influencers together to celebrate the launch of a luxury hotel, bar and restaurant.
Meg Coffey – former Marketing Manager of The Terrace Hotel now Managing Director of social media marketing agency Coffey & Tea – joined forces with Perth Twitter legends and social media strategists @freocookster (John Cooke) and @tweetperth (Adam Barrell) for the campaign.
Coffey said the goal of the campaign was to increase brand awareness of a new luxury product and to establish a strong social presence which complemented the digital technology that was being integrated into the hotel.
“Through the #SocMedSleepover we wanted to select a cross section of people to come and experience what the establishment had to offer. The idea was that anyone that was a social influencer could have the opportunity to experience the hotel and the hotel was able to appeal to a wide range of people.”
“We created a game of Cluedo which was played out in real-time – we wanted to create more than just a dinner party – we needed something that would keep the public interested in following along on the evening. The idea of reviving the childhood game of Cluedo, which was played in a mansion, would work perfectly with the luxury hotel, bar and restaurant.”
There were 17 guests chosen to attend the #SocMedSleepover, 6 rooms and 6 ‘weapons’ identified via social media channels during October 2012.
Guests included Richard Giles, program developer and early adopter, Margaret Wilson from the Australian Tourism Export Council, and Tourism Australia’s Social Media & Advocacy Manager, Jesse Desjardins, who flew in from Sydney just for the event.
During the #SocMedSleepover, multiple channels were utilized including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. It was transparent that the event was sponsored in all angles and as such a minimal budget was required.
Coffey said the campaign and event far exceeded their expectations and became a case study for several local advertising and strategy companies. The Terrace Hotel was established as a reputable brand with an excellent understanding of social media and its role in today’s marketplace.