📌 Hospitality Highlights: 25th March 2024
Social Media, Search, Secret Menus, Sleep Tourism and More!
Get the scoop on the hottest hospitality trends, from social media strategies to Google's latest spam update. VIP members enjoy additional exclusive content and insights!
I’m your host, Dawn Gribble, an independent hospitality marketing strategist with over 20 years of international experience. Whether you're looking to enhance your marketing efforts, stay informed on the latest consumer trends, or keep abreast of the freshest hotel and travel marketing developments, you've come to the right place.
🚀 Digital Marketing News
🌐 Threads Introduces Trending Topics
🎥 YouTube Enlists Viewers Help with Auto-Captions Accuracy
📹 Instagram Testing Lengthier Reels
❌ X Reveals Insights on User Engagement
🚫 Google's March Spam Update Completed
🍽️ Restaurant Marketing News
☕ Starbucks' NFT Plans Shelved
🥤 Panera Bread's Sip Club Price Increase
🍗 KFC's Exclusive Lunchtime Deal
🍔 The Hidden Menu Debate: Should Fast Food's Best-Kept Secrets Be Public?
🍩 Dunkin Donuts' Naming Saga: A Branding Genius or a Faux Pas?
🛎️ Hotel and Travel Marketing News
🌙 Exploring Sleep Tourism
🍾 Viral TikTok ‘Hack’ Encourages Hotel Guests to Use Script to Get Freebies
🌍 Expedia Welcomes New Partners to Its Global Travel Ecosystem
🏨 Hilton Unveils New Brand Duo
📈 More Global Hotel Markets Growing RevPAR
For VIP Members
🍷 Food & Beverage News Roundup
👀 Trends Watch
📈 Industry Insights
💯 Surprising Statistics
📚 Recommended Reads for Hospitality Leaders
✅ Tool of the Week: Hospitality Hashtags 2024
☕ Let’s Check In!
🚀 Marketing News
🌐 Threads Introduces Trending Topics
Threads has officially rolled out its Trending Topics feature to all users in the U.S. following a successful month-long testing period. The feature will be displayed in two places - a ranked list of the most discussed topics in the Search section and a "Trending Now" module in the main "For You" feed. Some minor design tweaks have been made since the initial test, including a change in the section's title from "Today's Topics" to "Trending Now." (Threads)
💡 78% of consumers actively participate in brand conversations on social media, making threads a valuable platform for fostering community discussions. Trending topics provide immediate insights into what captures the public's attention. These trends can predict broader cultural shifts, giving you a competitive advantage. Is your social media team engaging on Threads yet?
🎥 YouTube Enlists Viewers Help with Auto-Captions Accuracy
YouTube is introducing a new feature that aims to improve the accuracy of its auto-generated captions on video clips. The feature will allow viewers to suggest corrections to the captions, which others can upvote. However, this experiment will only be available to a small percentage of English-language channels that have auto-generated captions enabled. Viewers can submit their suggestions by clicking the gear icon and selecting "subtitles" on the video. Other viewers can also upvote these suggestions. During the experiment, suggested corrections will not be automatically merged into the video. This feature is intended to enhance accessibility for viewers and could potentially improve search rankings. (Google)
💡 Auto-captions provide subtitles for videos, making them accessible to all viewers. This new feature has several benefits including improved accuracy and making content more inclusive. However, relying solely on auto-captions and viewer suggestions may lead to inaccuracies and misinterpretations. To prevent this, hotel and restaurant marketers should add accurate captions to their videos to communicate brand messages clearly and improve SEO. Including relevant keywords in captions helps videos rank higher, reach a broader audience, and make content accessible to everyone.
📹 Instagram Testing Lengthier Reels
Instagram is experimenting with allowing users to upload 3-minute-long Reels videos on its app. Instagram has been testing longer video uploads for some time now, including a 10-minute option. Users can only upload pre-recorded videos as longer Reels and cannot capture them directly through the Reels camera. Longer videos are currently trending on TikTok, with the platform recently launching its Creator Rewards Program to encourage more content and user engagement. (SMT)
💡 Exciting opportunity for brands to showcase more content, engage with the audience and be creative with longer videos. Keep an eye on this trend and consider longer videos in your marketing strategy. Conduct A/B tests to see what works best for your audience and boost successful content.
❌ X Reveals Insights on User Engagement
Through a series of posts, X has shared updates on usage, engagement, job posts, video views, and more. Although the stats are similar to previous reports, some contradictory data points raise questions about the accuracy of the data. It was reported that X has 250 million daily active users, the same number given 16 months ago. Users spend an average of 30 minutes daily on X, with the top four conversations surrounding topics on sports, gaming, music and food. (X)
💡 My concern lies in the contradictory data points. If the data is inaccurate, marketing strategies based on these insights could misfire, wasting resources and missing the target audience. Experiment cautiously.
With Threads becoming more popular, it may be time to consider transitioning channels.
🚫 Google's March Spam Update Completed
Google completed its March 2024 spam update on March 20th, accompanied by new spam policies. These policies address content, expired domains, and site reputation abuse. Google's automated spam detection systems, including the AI-based SpamBrain, identify and mitigate spam, affecting site rankings based on compliance with spam policies. (SEJ)
💡 The potential benefits are clear: a cleaner, more trustworthy search environment enhances the visibility of legitimate, high-quality content. This can lead to increased traffic and trust from potential customers, as Google prioritises sites that follow best practices. Failure to adapt could result in lower search rankings or even penalties for non-compliance. Double-check your website content for anything spammy. Focus on high-quality content and reviews. This update can be your friend – embrace it!
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🍽️ Restaurant News
☕ Starbucks' NFT Plans Shelved
Starbucks has discontinued its metaverse and NFT rewards program, Starbucks Odyssey, as part of its strategic realignment. Launched in beta at the end of 2022, the initiative aimed to offer customers unique rewards through collectable "Journey Stamps" (NFTs) and Odyssey Points, unlocking new benefits and immersive experiences. However, the program will officially end on March 31, with participants having until March 25 to complete any outstanding activities. (QSR)
💡 The initial excitement around NFTs offered a unique way to engage customers. However, the complexity and limited reach might have been downsides. For restauranteurs, this is a learning experience! Keep an eye on innovative loyalty programs, but remember—simplicity and value often win. Focus on creating a program your customers love and understand. Explore hybrid models offering digital and physical rewards.
🥤 Panera Bread's Sip Club Price Increase
Panera Bread's Unlimited Sip Club, first introduced in 2022 for $10.99 per month plus tax, recently increased its monthly subscription rate by $3, making it $14.99 plus tax. However, the annual subscription rate remains at $119.99 plus tax. This makes the yearly program a better deal for those who frequently purchase drinks at Panera Bread. Sip Club members can access over 20 beverages, including hot and iced coffees, teas, lemonade, and fountain drinks. It also includes all the perks of the free rewards program, such as free delivery for the first 30 days. Some beverages, such as cold brew and espresso, are not included in the membership. (RB)
💡 The primary benefit for customers is the substantial savings and convenience for frequent Panera visitors. For Panera, it encourages daily visits and increases customer loyalty by integrating seamlessly with its free rewards program. This model can drive consistent foot traffic for restaurants, boost sales of non-included items (like food or premium drinks), and strengthen customer relationships. Consider a similar subscription program, offer tiered options (monthly/yearly) and factor in customer needs. Maybe a "heavy sipper" plan with premium drinks could be your recipe for success!
🍗 KFC's Exclusive Lunchtime Deal
KFC has recently launched a new lunch-only meal deal starting at £5.49. Customers can choose between the Kentucky Mayo Twister Wrap or Fillet Burger for their main course and either a packet of Walkers MAX crisps or a milk chocolate chip cookie as a side. The meal also includes a choice between a carbonated soft drink or a bottle of water. This offer is available every day from Monday to Friday until 3 PM at any KFC location, drive-thru, or via click-and-collect service. (QSRM)
💡 KFC's new lunch deal offers busy people a quick, convenient, and budget-friendly option. Customers win with a value-priced lunch, and KFC boosts midday sales. Restaurants can take inspiration from this idea to drive more targeted promotions during off-peak hours by introducing similar customisable grab-and-go deals at different times of the day or using limited-time offers to gauge customer preferences for future menu developments.
🍔 The Hidden Menu Debate: Should Fast Food's Best-Kept Secrets Be Public?
A recent viral TikTok has sparked widespread interest in a hidden McDonald's menu item. Leiela Kapewa-Latu, a mother from Texas, shared her discovery of the $12 "Dinner Box" on the social media platform, which includes a variety of menu items not listed on the regular menu. The video quickly gained over 12 million views and sparked a frenzy among McDonald's fans. However, diners from different states revealed diners from different states revealed discrepancies in pricing and content. In response, McDonald's clarified the existence of bundled deals but noted that they may vary by location. (RW)
💡 Customers love a deal, and the mystery element adds intrigue. Secret Menu deals create an exclusive insider experience for customers, encouraging them to share their discoveries on social media and generating free marketing. However, sudden increases in demand can create operational challenges for individual stores.
Experiment with a secret menu for your restaurant. To create excitement, offer limited-time bundles or "chef's choice" options. Promote the dishes using ephemeral content like Stories, which disappear after 24 hours. But keep it consistent! Confusion = frustrated customers.
🍩 Dunkin Donuts' Naming Saga: A Branding Genius or a Faux Pas?
Dunkin' has sparked controversy by giving one of their popular iced coffee drinks a new name for the spring season. The coffee chain has renamed their small iced coffee to "Short King" - a phrase used to praise men who are confident and proud, regardless of their height. The change has sparked much discussion and mixed feelings among fans on the internet. While some appreciate the attempt to connect with younger audiences, others criticise the move, suggesting the brand might be trying too hard to stay trendy. (FH)
💡 Dunkin' renaming its small iced coffee to "Short King" is an excellent example of the challenge of balancing trendiness with authenticity—Prioritise brand alignment when considering name changes or menu updates. The key to success is to remain true to your brand voice while incorporating creative elements into your campaigns. It's much more effective to be authentic than to try to be trendy.
🛎️ Hotel and Travel News
🌙 Exploring Sleep Tourism
The concept of 'sleep tourism' is becoming increasingly popular, with more and more travellers planning their trips around getting a good night's rest. Despite the potential extravagance of travelling long distances and staying in expensive hotels for the sake of sleep, studies show that 35% of people feel they need more rest. This has led to a growing interest in stabilising circadian rhythms during holidays. Sleep tourism is trending this year as travellers increasingly focus their holidays on getting some quality nap time. (EN)
💡 Sleep tourism is a niche with potential. There's an opportunity to attract clients looking for tranquillity and wellness, increase bookings, and charge more. Hotels can tap into sleep tourism by crafting dining experiences that complement a restful stay. This could include offering menus with sleep-inducing foods, promoting early dinner times to encourage better sleep, or even creating quiet, serene dining spaces. Think beyond comfy beds! Offer blackout curtains, white noise machines, and lavender bath products—partner with sleep experts for workshops or personalised sleep consultations. Cater to early risers with sunrise yoga sessions or calming meditation before bed.
🍾 Viral TikTok ‘Hack’ Encourages Hotel Guests to Use Script to Get Freebies
A TikTok user has revealed a tactic for receiving complimentary snacks and beverages during hotel stays. Guests (it is claimed) can enjoy added perks at no extra cost by simply having a family member or friend call the hotel with a request for a unique gift basket, citing a celebratory occasion. This method, shared by @thejuliabaird, involves initiating a friendly conversation with hotel staff and subtly suggesting complimentary treats to make the stay more memorable. The success of this approach has sparked considerable interest online, with many viewers expressing enthusiasm for trying it out themselves and sharing their experiences of similar acts of kindness from hotel employees. (UP)
💡 People crave memorable experiences; exceeding expectations can lead to rave reviews. Free snacks! Happy guests! But is this ethical? The downside is the potential to exploit the hotel's goodwill, increasing costs without direct revenue to offset these complimentary offerings. There's also the risk of setting unrealistic expectations among guests, where complimentary services become expected rather than appreciated as a special gesture. A solution to this challenge is to offer these items as add-on services. For example, you could offer pre-made welcome baskets or upgrade options for celebrating guests. You could also build these perks into your loyalty scheme. Don't wait for TikTok to dictate your guest experience! Train your staff to go the extra mile and offer upgrade options for genuine celebrations.
🌍 Expedia Welcomes New Partners to Its Global Travel Ecosystem
Expedia Group is responding to the increasing demand for travel by partnering with companies across the globe to offer personalised travel experiences. By leveraging its supply network, the collaborations cater to diverse travel needs, ranging from luxury experiences in Japan to exploratory expeditions in Australia. These efforts aim to provide travellers with unparalleled choice, competitive pricing, and unique experiences while supporting growth for partners within Expedia Group's global ecosystem. (Ex)
💡 The future of travel is all about customisation. By teaming up with lifestyle and travel partners, you can design standout experiences that draw in guests, old and new. Think about co-branding or forming strategic partnerships. Consider collaborating with local tour operators or transport services. Perhaps you could even partner with other hotels to offer multi-city packages.
🏨 Hilton Unveils New Brand Duo
Hilton recently added two new hotel brands to its portfolio. The first, Spark by Hilton, offers affordable accommodations starting at $84 a night without compromising on stylish interiors and amenities such as complimentary breakfast, communal workspaces, and parking. This move was based on extensive research and data showing a high demand for budget-friendly hotels. Hilton's new LivSmart Studios, designed for extended stays, will begin opening this year with 150 properties already in the works. (Ho)
💡 Hilton has recognised the evolving needs of travellers, including the demand for affordable yet stylish accommodations and the growing market for extended stays. Hilton aims to address these needs by introducing Spark and LivSmart Studios. Reaching new markets with budget-conscious travellers and long-term guests is a smart move. The challenge lies in maintaining the high standards associated with the Hilton brand while offering lower-cost options. There's a risk of diluting the brand's luxury image or failing to meet customer expectations at lower price points.
📈 More Global Hotel Markets Growing RevPAR
77% of markets have reported an increase in RevPAR compared to the same period in 2023, with a 4% growth rate. Occupancy and ADR have also steadily increased from last year. Among countries with 50,000 rooms and sufficient hotel reporting levels, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, France, Switzerland, and New Zealand have shown the highest RevPAR on an actual basis. Singapore recorded the highest ADR at $284, a 17% increase from the previous year, primarily due to the hosting of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Leisure markets in China saw a significant boost during the Lunar New Year holiday. (STR)
💡 The travel industry is rebounding, creating opportunities for businesses. To attract visitors, market high-demand destinations, embrace special events, refine your online presence, and highlight each venue's unique offerings, including locale and culture. However, stay adaptable, as travel trends can shift quickly, and remember that reliance on transient events for revenue spikes could lead to instability.
For VIP Members
🍷 Food & Beverage News Roundup
👀 Trends Watch
📈 Industry Insights
💯 6 Surprising Statistics
📚 Recommended Reads for Hospitality Leaders
✅ Tool of the Week: Hospitality Hashtags 2024
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