hospitality

Fairmont Hotels Details Brand Partnerships

Alexandra Blum, VP of public relations and partnerships for FRHI Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of Fairmont, Raffles & Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, shares upcoming plans for the international luxury hotel brand with Marketing Daily in this Q&A.

Q: Which partnerships do you have on tap for 2016?

A: Our guests will be able to ring in the New Year in style thanks to Fairmont’s global collaboration with the best spirit brands in the world. The new“Classics. Perfected.” program, made possible through substantial partnerships with LVMH Spirits, Remy Cointreau and other leading global brands, is set to reinvent hotel cocktail culture and deliver what we consider to be our best menu yet.

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Our guests will also be the best-smelling travelers in the world as we treat them to more sensory delights from one of the world’s best perfumeries, Le Labo. Le Labo’s hallmark Rose 31 scent is the distinctive in-room amenity line offered at Fairmont properties worldwide. We have created an exclusive set of packages that combine the association of scent with amazing memories at our hotels. Our guests will be given an opportunity to experience the art of perfumery and mix their own Rose 31 scent after hours at a beautiful boutique. Le Labo has never offered this type of experience before and the package is complemented by a stunning RIMOWA beauty case and Le Labo products.

Finally, as the first luxury hotel brand to offer our guests access to workout gear worldwide through our Fairmont fit program, Fairmont and our global partner Reebok will be expanding the program to include pint-size guests, with new global kids fitness programming. After all, when good wellness habits are established early, the better chance they will continue into adulthood.  

Some of the other strategic brand partnerships we will be continuing to bring to life in 2016 include initiatives with BMW in Canada, Cadillac in the U.S., and global offerings with Flytographer, an innovative service that offers highly vetted photographers in over 160 cities. 

Q: Which marketing activations do you have planned to support them?

A: Throughout 2016, Fairmont will introduce a number of engaging new marketing activations to support partnership initiatives. Creative and compelling initiatives are what we do best when it comes to partner activations. We are still engaged in the planning process to determine specific initiatives for 2016.

Q: How do they fit into previously executed plans? Are you trying to shift or expand your demographic? 

A: As always, Fairmont is committed to delivering personalized experiences to all our guests, which continues to be our main focus for 2016. The Fairmont brand speaks to all ages and our global partner programs help us to connect with families, business travelers and luxury seekers alike.

Partnerships allow us to deliver truly meaningful personalized experiences and we will continue to incorporate new ideas and initiatives into programs that guests know and love.  

Q: Who is your target customer?

A: Our guests are well-traveled and they see themselves as travelers, not tourists. They are charismatic, connected, thoughtful and locally inspired. They have a traditional expectation of luxury, feel successful and usually know what they want and the luxuries they are willing to pay for. Research also indicates that our guests are sophisticated, adventurous and athletic, and can be defined as leaders in their respective industries. In terms of business and leisure travelers, our company's business mix has shifted slightly.

Currently, there is nearly a 60/40 split between business and leisure travelers, and while we remain highly focused on the business traveler, the leisure customer has become increasingly more and more important to us. We have seen growth in this segment and believe this will continue in 2016. 

Q: Who is your competition and what do you see as your point of difference?

A: We see our competition as any luxury brand experience our guest interacts with in a given day. This point of view forces us to think beyond hotels — this is our competitive advantage, as well as the exclusive experiences we connect our guests with through our partnerships. 

Fairmont is all about connecting guests to the destination in which they are staying, and these partnerships makes the Fairmont brand more memorable. 

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?

A: The partnerships team within Fairmont is often viewed as the innovation hub of the organization. We push the envelope on creativity, innovation and collaboration and work closely with operations to implement programs that are significant and interesting while ensuring flawless execution. 

Establishing corporate partnerships between top brands is becoming more common as companies battle for mindshare among consumers, but not all partnerships are created equal. Choosing the right strategic partners by using the right criteria is an essential component to a strong brand strategy.

Fairmont has led the way in partnership marketing for almost a decade. We have developed a strong methodology for selecting the best partners and creating strong, long-term partnerships that drive guest value.

We are finding that as competition increases, our partnership approach is truly setting the Fairmont brand apart from its competitors. What is most interesting is that our programs are forever evolving based on guest preferences and strategic positioning. Travelers will continue to see this come to life in the years ahead.

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