Page 25 - Internationalist Magazine 2013 66

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS GOLD

Choice Hotels,

Yelping Out
Way To The

Oficial Hotel of
Summer

Havas Media

(Local-multi)
For Choice Hotels,

summer is a
key period for bookings and overall business. The

challenge is that the same holds true for everyone else
Canon,
within the hotel space.
Project Imaginat10n
MediaCom (Local-multi)
Choice Hotels sought to increase consideration and
Canon hoped to position its brand as the ultimate creative booking intent for CH.com by giving users ideas for

enabler while maintaining its heritage in the still image. weekend summer roadtrips. With 4,500 locations
Canon’s focus was its industry-revolutionizing DSLR HD nationwide, they needed a partner that had enough

video. The goal was to solidify Canon’s stake in Hollywood content to align with each of these locations. Yelp.com
ilmmaking in a highly impactful way. The targets were was the perfect choice. Yelp reaches consumers are in a

photographers and ilmmakers at all levels of experience contextually relevant frame of mind – searching reviews
who all share a common need for self-expression. Canon of restaurants, bars, shows, etc., for upcoming/potential

wanted to prove that we’re all creative and anyone can sit trips.

in the director’s chair. They empowered their consumers
to not only submit photos, but their own ilm with the The “Oficial Hotel of Summer Road Trip Guide” was

very best of them screened at the irst-ever “Project born and provided access to otherwise unattainable
Imaginat10n” Film Festival.
inventory. The Choice Hotels Oficial Hotel of Summer

Road Trip Guide integrates Yelp’s trusted local reviews
“Project Imaginat10n” brought Canon ive times the into a custom-content and sweepstakes platform. The

star-power, enlisting the help of Oscar-winning actor handy guide was designed to help leisure travelers
Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, plan unique road trips during the summer months,

designer Georgina Chapman and musician James highlighting nearby Choice Hotels brand properties
Murphy to direct their own ilms shot on Canon cameras.
along the way.
These irst-time directors are inluential in each of their

disciplines, enabling the campaign to inspire a range of Users could also input their point of origin and
new consumers. But instead of just inspiring the ilms, destination for a more customized experience. To

Canon also invited consumers to create their own ilms.
further drive the “Oficial Hotel of Summer” designation
home, each route highlighted Americana points,

Enlisting the best of the best gave “Project Imaginat10n” restaurants, ice cream stops, and outdoor activities,
clout and prestige, instantly tying the Canon name to while seamlessly adding Choice locations. Users could

quality. More than that, though, it gave consumers a share their experience across various social channels
chance to be part of Hollywood magic. It made every
and enter a contest to win their own ultimate road trip,
entrant a collaborator, and it epitomized the right kind of with prizing to include hotel vouchers, car rentals,

brand storytelling: with the consumer at the center.
spending money, GPS, and more. The Summer Road
Trip Guide was promoted across Yelp with co-branded

units, newsletters, and PR. The various Yelp community
managers across the country were also using social

media to get the word out to their followers as well.
Performing at 13% ahead of projections, Choice Hotels

mapped 12,569 routes and collected 33,000 sweepstake
entries. As icing on the cake, the campaign received

press coverage from MediaPost, HotelMarketing.com,

Hotel Interactive, Travel Daily News, The Street, and
more.

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