• by Tanya Gazdik , April 9, 2013

Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Westin brand is launching a campaign that focuses on the relaxation the hotel chain can provide.

The campaign invites consumers to: “Make Monday Better. Book a Westin Weekend.”   

Driven by new insights showing the importance of emotional and physical well-being, the new campaign is designed to show that Westin understands travelers’ desire for premium amenities.

The Westin Weekend will offer weekend guests new services, including breakfast all day, late checkout on Sundays and transformed décor for a fresh look and feel following the work week. 

Building on the success of Westin’s "For a Better You" platform, the campaign from Westin’s agency, BBH New York, combines artfully shot images and playful headlines like “A day in the pool will help you swim with the sharks” and “A weekend at the U.S. Open means Monday has met its match.” Westin Weekends are portrayed as an opportunity to live fantasies and recharge for a “Better Monday.”

This campaign also builds on the emerging trend of mini-vacations and more people extending business travel to take advantage of a weekend away. The ads are designed to appeal to Westin’s weekday business travelers with a range of experiences, including urban destinations, ski weekends, resorts, golf trips and luxurious hotel offerings.

The campaign includes eight print executions appearing in magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal Monday editions, Travel & Leisure, Fortune, Food & Wine, TIME, Fast Company and Forbes.

Digital promotions will appear on CNN Money, Bloomberg, PGA.com, NYTimes.com and WSJ.com. Out-of home advertising is focused on airports and corporate centers. Films will be used online and as out-of-home executions in places such as elevators.

“Our research shows consumers are craving more leisure time but taking less and less vacation, so we wanted to develop a dedicated program that makes taking a well-deserved weekend break seamless and stress free,” said Brian Povinelli, global brand leader for Westin Hotels & Resorts, in a release.

Westin also is kicking off a month-long gifting campaign to deserving groups across the country, bringing the new program’s mantra to life by making Monday better for hundreds of deserving individuals. Throughout the month of April, Westin will surprise three organizations on three consecutive Mondays with Westin Weekend getaways, Heavenly Beds and more. The new weekend offering is now available at all Westin Hotels & Resorts around the world.

The hotel company surprises more than 200 nurses at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City who have gone above and beyond the call of duty over the past year. Westin will continue its star-studded gifting spree on April 15 and 22, as the brand surprises volunteer firefighters in Los Angeles and teachers at high-risk schools in New York.