ATLANTA (July 2002) å- Holiday Inn Express continues to add to its growing list of accolades for its `Stay Smart` television advertising campaign by winning the American Marketing Associationå‘s (AMA) Silver EFFIEå® award for 2002 in the travel, tourism and destination category for its first-ever promotional spot, Double Points or Miles. The national EFFIEs are the only major award to recognize both creative achievement and success in driving business results.
“We are honored to receive the Silver EFFIE award,” said Jenifer Zeigler, vice president of marketing for Holiday Inn Express. “The `Stay Smart` campaign continues to generate tremendous consumer response and has led to increased awareness of our brand, as well as our `Stay Smart` message.”
This is the fourth consecutive EFFIE win for Holiday Inn Express. In fact, the brand has won an EFFIE each year since the inception of the `Stay Smart` campaign in 1998. Over the years, the advertising campaign has delivered on all counts. Brand awareness has increased nearly 40 percent, and advertising awareness has increased 96 percent since 1998. The success of this campaign has also fueled the brand’s continued rapid growth.
According to the AMA, winning entries need to successfully combine all the disciplines that enter into a successful marketing program: planning, market research, media, creative and account management. They also must demonstrate a partnership between the client and the agency in the creation, management and building of a brand.
The campaign, created by Fallon Minneapolis, has been praised as a standout within the hotel advertising arena for its focus on emotion, rather than product. The campaign captures the brand’s personality, while simultaneously communicating the idea that guests feel smart for choosing Holiday Inn Express.
Holiday Inn Express is the modern hotel for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests `Stay Smart` at Holiday Inn Express where they enjoy a free breakfast bar (featuring fresh fruit, cereal and pastries), free local phone calls (US only) and the ability to earn Priority Club Rewards points that can be redeemed for great merchandise, airline miles or free stays in more than 2,700 hotels. There are currently more than 1,000 Holiday Inn Express locations around the globe.
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