Last night a DJ saved my… hotel?

May 21, 2012 By 5 Comments

While some hotel chains focus on Facebook and other social media channels for promotions, W Hotels is taking a different approach by making use of its entertainment offering.

The idea is that the chain wants to bring together some of the up and coming music DJs around the world, in the first instance to give them advice from pro DJs, but also highlight its own programme of club events in its properties in Asia.

Alongside DJ bootcamps at its flagship hotel in Bali, Indonesia, for those already selected, a partnership with Mix.dj and Coca-Cola energy drink brand Burn and its studios project, will see the final slot on the tour of hotels filled by way of a online competition.

Budding spinners are able to upload sets to a dedicated channel on the Starwood-owned W Hotels site. A guest and site visitor vote will determine which DJ will be picked for the tour over the summer.

Tapping into what the brand is synonymous for (club nights, in this case) appears to have worked well elsewhere in recent years, and moves the social-technology-marketing integration beyond just often rather dull promotions.

Probably the most high profile and successful uses of technology, social media and brand extension in the hotel industry so far came from the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel in Spain last year.

The property invested in RFID-enabled wristbands so that guests and visitors to its own club events could take photos of their experience at the shows and send messages to their Facebook friends.

The results of the campaign, which will continue for the 2012 summer clubbing season, included a massive uplift in members of its Facebook page and thousands of uploaded items of content.

NB: DJ image via Shutterstock.

NB2: For those curious about the inspiration for the headline, a classic from the 1980s:

Related posts:

  1. Hotel websites stealing room night share — from chain toll-free numbers
  2. What happened when a hotel armed social media-loving clubbers with RFID wristbands?
  3. Hotel connects Facebook with hi-tech RFID to hit social media-loving clubbers
Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
Kevin May About Kevin May

Kevin May is editor of Tnooz. He joined as a co-founder in August 2009 after spending nearly four years as editor of UK-based business publication Travolution.

Passionate about the business of travel and the internet, Kevin played a major role in establishing Travolution in print, online, events and with an annual awards programme, as well as becoming a regular speaker and moderator at industry events.

Prior to Travolution, Kevin was web editor at Media Week (UK) and also worked in regional newspapers for two years at the Essex Enquirer. He started his career in journalism at the Police Gazette at New Scotland Yard in London.

Comments

  1. Karl says:
    May 21, 2012 at 10:37 am

    I think the use of the RFID-enabled wristbands is brilliant. It’s an exciting twist on social for hotels.

    Reply
    • Kevin May Kevin May says:
      May 21, 2012 at 10:59 am

      @karl – yes, great initiative. Suspect it only works for brands with THAT kind of audience though.

      Reply
  2. Pete Meyers says:
    May 21, 2012 at 10:45 am

    Loved this headline Kevin.

    Reply
    • Kevin May Kevin May says:
      May 21, 2012 at 10:58 am

      @pete – been waiting my entire career to do it :)

      Reply
      • Olery says:
        May 22, 2012 at 4:26 am

        Haha, totally agree with Pete.
        @Kevin I can imagine! Got my attention straight away at least. And whoever needs that NB2 will never understand.

        Personally I think it’s a great idea from W Hotels, but it’s really a matter of (good) taste.

        Reply

Speak Your Mind

*