Crown Plaza is rolling out a multi-million dollar TV and online campaign that is slated to debut today.Branded as “The Place to Meet,” Crowne Plaza assembled six
seemingly disparate personalities in a Crowne Plaza meeting room to
showcase the brand’s new golf affinity marketing program, the cornerstone
of which is the title sponsorship of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at
Colonial PGA TOUR golf tournament.
  “Golf has long served as the informal ‘place to meet,’ so developing a
golf platform was a natural way to further align our meetings focus with
our customers’ interests and hobbies,” said Kevin Kowalski, vice president,
brand management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts.
  “Our new ad campaign further emphasizes our focus as ‘The Place the
Meet,’ increasing brand awareness and consideration while activating our
golf platform on a national scale,” Kowalski added. “By showcasing highly
entertaining dialogue among some of golf’s most unique personalities in a
Crowne Plaza setting, we’ll entertain our core target - who share a love of
golf - and bring to life our meeting room experience in a bold, new way.”
  In a series of six 30-second spots, the group of golf professionals and
aficionados - who share a love for the game - imparts insights and
witticisms on golf-related topics ranging from game secrets and
superstitions and changing the rules to playing golf with spouses and
banning “belly putters.” Feherty also appears in three 15-second spots that
show him consulting with a Crowne Plaza Meetings Director to prepare for
his meeting with the aforementioned personalities. These spots will
highlight Priority Club(R) Rewards and the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage(TM)
program. Additional exclusive web clips will be shown online at Crowne
Plaza’s new golf portal at http://www.crowneplaza.com/golf.
  Created by Fallon Minneapolis, each spot marries Crowne Plaza as “The
Place to Meet” with the special tenets of golf and the Crowne Plaza
Invitational at Colonial in a way that is fresh and contemporary.
  “I thought the idea of bringing together such different people with
varying opinions to talk golf in a Crowne Plaza meeting room was
brilliant,” said George Lopez. “It was also one of the best gigs ever. I
mean, I got to talk golf with my idol, Lee Trevino, and get harassed in
person about my game by David Feherty.”
  “Believe it or not, I’m one of very few rockers who don’t trash hotel
rooms,” said Alice Cooper. “When I’m traveling to a pro-am golf tournament
or on a concert tour, I look for a hotel that feels as much like home as
possible so I can relax. Crowne Plaza definitely meets that need, so
collaborating with them on this ad campaign was a natural fit for me.”
  On April 12, Crowne Plaza will launch the initial phase of a global
golf portal (http://www.crowneplaza.com/golf) to amplify further the brand’s golf
affinity program and help drive trial among business travelers who share a
love for golf. Produced by Digitas, the golf portal will serve as a source
for Crowne Plaza’s global golf initiatives and will present content for the
brand’s global regions - Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, and
Asia-Pacific - such as golf tips for travelers, featured golf courses and
golf news, as well as customized regional content. The Americas’ customized
regional content will include exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, links to
the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial web site and links to the
Priority Club Rewards Pro Shop and Auction sites, as well as other special
promotions and incentives.
  To complement the new advertising, Crowne Plaza is bringing the rich
tradition and experience of golf to its hotels by offering various themed
golf events and year-long promotions, including hosting PGA TOUR tournament
viewing parties for its guests during the entire 2007 season, exclusive
specialty drinks such as the “Gentleman’s Tee(TM)” and the “Birdie,” and
“Putt for Points” contests in which guests can accumulate Priority Club
Rewards loyalty program points. At many hotels, a copy of Colonial the
Tournament: 60 Years of Greatness will be on a coffee table in the room,
with a tournament week viewing schedule for the May 24-27 event on a bed
pillow. An exclusive global promotion is set to launch in June and
culminate in the fall to keep the golf momentum going.
  Crowne Plaza also has set a goal to raise a minimum of $2,000 at each
hotel to support Cure Kids Cancer Coalition. Through April 15, guests and
associates have the opportunity to participate in the Birdies for Charity
program in which they can pledge a flat dollar amount, or $.01 or more per
birdie achieved by tournament players, with pledges correlating to the
number of birdies shot during the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
Tournament in late May.
 
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