Marriott Hotels & Resorts are rolling out 32-inch LCD high-definition televisions and the industry’s only digital plug-in panel at the JW
Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts brands in the
U.S. and CanadaTo showcase the pioneering technology, Marriott Hotels & Resorts have launched an innovative advertising campaign combining
live-action and computer-generated images. The LCD high-definition
television and plug-in panel will enable guests, who frequently travel with
a host of digital devices, to:

  — connect their laptop to the monitor so they can work, surf the web,
      play DVDs and video games in high-definition;

  — split the screen to watch TV and work on their laptop simultaneously;

  — fill their room with their own music play lists from MP3 players and
      other digital music players through the system’s 25-watt speakers; and

  — play back videos from camcorders and view pictures from digital
      cameras.

To highlight these features, Marriott Hotels & Resorts developed a high
impact advertising campaign. It includes three 15-second television spots
that portray different ways guests can use the new technology to work,
relax, or do both, while also depicting how the guest room can adapt to the
technology needs of guests. The television ads, airport dioramas and
spectaculars, also part of the campaign, were created by mcgarrybowen. The
online advertisements and web site, http://www.plugintomarriott.com, were
developed by T3.
  “Consumers asked us to show how the innovative guest room technology
works and how it works for them,” said Deborah Fell, senior vice president,
marketing strategy and integration, Marriott International. “We are
combining live action and computer-generated animation to demonstrate this.
We are also leveraging the power of the Internet giving consumers hands-on,
detailed knowledge and letting them explore the possible uses the
technology offers them.”

The television spots will air on cable networks, including ESPN, CNN,
Fox and the Discovery Channel, and can also be seen on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NimNgcxoEDk. Out-of-home ads will appear at
seven major airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in
Atlanta; O’Hare International Airport in Chicago; and Los Angeles
International Airport. Online advertising will appear on numerous web
sites, including Forbes.com and MSNBC.com.
  The integrated campaign is designed to pique the curiosity of travelers
and encourage them to visit http://www.plugintomarriott.com, where they can
learn about the features of the high-definition LCD televisions and plug-in
panel, and interact virtually with the technology. In addition, the web
site includes a current list of hotels that offer the new guest room
technology. The most recent addition is the San Francisco Marriott. The
company expects to have up to 25 percent of its connectivity panels
installed at Marriott Hotels & Resorts guest rooms in the U.S. and Canada
by the end of this year and installed in all guest rooms in those countries
by the end of 2009.
  This is the latest enhancement from
Marriott Hotels & Resorts, following the introduction of Revive(R) bedding.
Together, they are signature elements of the guest room that conforms to
the needs of business and leisure travelers, whether for work, rest or
play.
Full deployment of the guestroom technology for the JW
Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts brands is expected by the
end of 2009.   
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