Waldorf Astoria Launches New Marketing Campaign

Waldorf Astoria is debuting a new marketing campaign designed to boldly reposition the brand.

The iconic luxury brand's new campaign “Live Unforgettable” will highlight Waldorf Astoria’s unique experience while also deepening connections with today’s luxury travelers. As part of that effort, it will pair the brand’s legacy with an unexpected, playful take on the “True Waldorf Service.”

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“The majority of luxury campaigns in hospitality look the same; however, luxury consumer preferences continue to change,” Kellyn Smith Kenny, chief marketing officer, Hilton, said in a statement. “Knowing that the luxury landscape and the needs of our customers are evolving to be more experience-driven, we have created a campaign that is fresh, digitally-led and grounded in a deep understanding of rising consumer expectations.”

Based on its analysis of today’s luxury travel space, Waldorf Astoria identified an increasing number of consumers who seek the ever-elusive sense of place to be present. Millennials, Generation X and the growing affluent female market are also significantly reshaping the luxury landscape, according to the company.

“As the world becomes increasingly preoccupied with the latest technologies and the lines between professional and personal success continue to blur, living in the moment feels more unattainable than ever,” the company said in a statement. “Insights indicated that those who seek this sense of place want the classic luxury of iconic hotels – with a modern flare – to create unforgettable experiences and live their lives to the fullest.”

The new “Live Unforgettable” campaign represents the combination of the alchemy of Waldorf Astoria’s True Waldorf Service, iconic environments and its guests’ desire to live in the moment.

By bringing these three elements together at a Waldorf Astoria, the hotel hopes to make every moment from the routine to the grand something that is transformed into the unforgettable.

“It is our relentless commitment to personal service that becomes the foundation for truly unforgettable experiences for our guests,” Martin Rinck, global head, Luxury & Lifestyle Group, Hilton, said in a statement. “True Waldorf Service is at the heart of all Waldorf Astoria locations around the world.”

Campaign creative will blend the timeless with the timely, the humorous with the bold and the expected with the unexpected, underscoring Waldorf Astoria’s commitment to truly anticipatory service, with a twist, the company said.

Set in the inspirational environment of Waldorf Astoria Versailles, Trianon Palace, the campaign’s storylines are a playful take on the brand’s relentless commitment to delivering True Waldorf Service – no matter how unique the request – which in turn allows guests to enjoy unforgettable experiences.

The marketing campaign will center around three distinct storylines. They include:

Game Day – The desire for a smash game starts with a guest calling his personal concierge and ends with an exuberant game of ping-pong among family and friends. Little does the personal concierge know, the young daughter is an all-star player.

Spa for Two – A woman requests a spa service from her personal concierge for her and her Highland Terrier. Much to her delight, the spa has arranged a “service for two”…for her and her adorable pup.

Sundae Surprise – A young couple orders every sundae on the room service menu and, without hesitation, the personal concierge fills the suite with every sundae imaginable.

A recent global study of luxury travelers conducted by Hilton highlights a reliance on concierges, with nearly one-third of those who traveled for leisure reporting they plan little to none of their trip prior to their arrival, and an additional 47 percent reported that they leave some details of their trip unplanned until they arrive at their hotel.

And while the world becomes increasingly digital, in-person interactions are still important at luxury hotels, according to Hilton’s study. Nearly 70 percent of respondents said they preferred to interact with an in-person concierge throughout their stay, while only 20 percent cited preferring to use a digital-only concierge.