• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer, 8 hours ago

Marriott Media, the media network for Marriott International playfully known as Riott Media, plans to expand advertising opportunities for brands.

Those opportunities to get closer to consumers will happen through experiences, sponsorships, in apps and on its websites, and digital out-of-home (DOOH) networks like ads that run on television sets in the lobby or in the hotel rooms. 

"Many brands think consumers would adopt their products more often if given the chance to experience them first," Elizabeth Latham, vice president, strategy & operations of Marriott Media Network, told MediaPost. 

Latham said Marriott's experiential campaigns at the hotels have not yet rolled out, but are in the planning stages.

The idea is to taste food items or try beauty products. She called leaving items in hotel rooms as "room drops."

Wynn Hotel Las Vegas began doing something similar last year, leaving perfume in the rooms. 

Taylor Sheridan's Four Sixes Steakhouse named after his cattle ranch in Texas became a popup in September 2024 and ran through mid-2026.

Hotels in Louisville during the Kentucky Derby also do something similar by allowing guests to have Derby bonnets and hats made in the lobby of hotels. 

"If you wanted to try a hair accessory before investing in it, we would have it set up so you could engage with the product," she said. "Perhaps we would message the hotel guest about certain products before arriving based on specific interests."

Marriott Media's network -- which launched last year -- taps into expansive data attributes, with more than 271 million Marriott Bonvoy loyalty members across nearly 10,000 global properties. ''Advertisers can combine demographic traits with historical guest behavior, near real-time travel intent, loyalty tiers, and specific passion points like fitness, food or outdoor activities. 

The data strategy puts the data where advertisers go. Its partners make it possible.

Companies like FreeWheel, LiveRamp, Nexxen, and Viant give advertisers additional ways to connect their own customer data with Marriott's traveler audiences and activate campaigns across premium video and omnichannel environments.

By combining Marriott’s first-party insights and owned channels with premium offsite campaigns, Marriott Media is building a connected ecosystem that helps brands reach travelers from pre-trip planning to arrival and beyond.

The latest expansion includes new partnerships and capabilities that further distinguish Marriott Media from traditional media networks and advance its vision to build out options for brands -- not just those that focus on travel because aside from needing a hotel room or luggage to complete the trip, some travelers might want to take snacks.

During the past year, Marriott Media has expanded its offering by more than 50% and added eight new placements, including high-impact takeovers across Marriott Bonvoy's web and app and curated on-property experiential activations.

The media arm also has grown its pre-set audience offering from eight segments at launch to 32 segments built on more than 500 attributes across travel behavior, spending patterns, passions and lifestyle attributes.

Advertisers can activate directly or programmatically across onsite and offsite channels with full-funnel measurement.

Guest Room Entertainment integrates brand content directly into the in-room TV experience.

In a recent takeover associated with a major business event, the media arm said it exceeded campaign delivery goals by 28% and generated more than 4 million impressions.

Other partners include Koddi and The Trade Desk.

Additional partnerships and platform capabilities are expected to be announced in the coming months.