travel digital iq 2011
TRANSCRIPT
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com
TravelSCOTT GALLOWAYNYU Stern
A P R I L 2 6 , 2 0 11A ThInk TAnk for DIGITAL InnOVATIOn
®
A ThInk TAnk for DIGITAL InnOVATIOn
CLInIC nYU Stern 05.20.11
http://L2EmergingMedia.eventbrite.com/
While Facebook dominates the social media landscape, a multitude of other digital platforms have emerged that provide fertile ground for brands to:
• Reach new consumers
• Run creative experiments
• Explore new forms of digital expression and consumer online behavior
These platforms range from the bold experiments of incumbent behemoths (Facebook Places and Google’s Boutiques.com) to smaller players who are gaining traction (Foursquare and Tumblr) to new entrants with small, passionate user bases (Pinterest, GetGlue, and Layar).
This half-day intensive Clinic will help managers and senior marketers identify the relevant platforms for their brands and prioritize incremental investment in the long-tail of social media.
Emerging Digital Media PlatformsThe Long Tail of Social Media
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
The Social Web The rise of social media presents a fresh set of opportunities
and challenges to hotels, airlines, and cruise lines. Although
two thirds of customers are influenced by online user reviews,
only nine percent of the brands in the Index offer reviews, or
any form of user-generated content, on their sites. Social-shar-
ing tools, live chat, and customer service via social media are
more common, but are still employed by less than half of the 89
brands analyzed. As brands debate the merits of transparency,
online travel agents (OTAs) and comparison engines, includ-
ing Expedia, Orbitz, TripAdvisor, and Kayak, fill the void with
authentic reviews and pricing clarity. Brands have paid a steep
price for staring at their navels while intermediaries give the
consumer what they want. Of the 10 most-trafficked travel sites,
only one, Southwest, belongs to a supplier.
I n T R O D U C T I O n
Killer App: The internet Massive choice coupled with a product that can be distilled to zeroes and ones makes
the Internet a killer app for the travel industry.
While e-com’s share of U.S. retail stands at 5.9 percent, travel garners 38 percent of revenue
from the ether.1 The browser is the booking agent of choice for 87 million Americans, however
the industry dedicates a meager seven percent of its marketing budgets to digital channels.2
Many iconic travel brands struggle to leverage the online environment.
The Empire Strikes BackBrands are starting to fight back. From Delta’s fully integrated
Facebook booking to Four Seasons’ active customer service
via Twitter, brands are beginning to recapture lost ground and
move to the center of the customer conversation.
In December 2010, American Airlines announced it would by-
pass the central reservation system that supplies flight informa-
tion to popular OTAs, opting to develop its own technology that
provides additional customization for passengers and travel
agents. Expedia responded by indicating that it would not be
renewing its contract with the airline and refused to integrate
the new system. Although the two parties came to an agree-
ment in early April, the dispute is a signal that brands will not
just roll over online.
1. U.S. Department of Commerce, February 2011
2. eMarketer, April 2011
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
= BRAND WEBSITE
I n T R O D U C T I O n
Digital iQ = Shareholder ValueOur thesis is that digital competence is inextricably linked to
shareholder value in the travel industry. Key to managing and
developing a competence is an actionable metric. This study
attempts to quantify the digital competence of 89 global airline,
hotel, and cruise brands. Our aim is to provide a robust tool to
diagnose digital strengths and weaknesses and help managers
at travel brands achieve greater return on incremental investment.
Like the medium we are assessing, our methodology is dynamic,
and we hope you will reach out to us with comments that improve
our approach, investigation, and findings. You can contact me
Sincerely,
SCOTT GALLOwAY
Founder, L2 Clinical Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern
TRAVEL BOOkInG
Online Marketing Share by Channel1
0%
40%
60%
80%
AIRLINES
100%
20%
31%33% 34%
41%44%
46%
59%56% 56%
69% 67% 66% 59% 56% 54% 41% 44% 44%
E CRUIS LINESHOTELS
2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010
= ONLINE TRAVEL AGENT (OTA)
1. “Nothing But Net,” J.P. Morgan, January 2011
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
A B O U T T h E R A n k I n G S
Site - 30%: Effectiveness of brand site.
•Functionality&Content(75%)
• Site Technology • Site Search & Navigation • Reservations • Flight/Hotel/Cruise Information • Checkout & Special Offers • Customer Service • Rewards/Loyalty Programs
•BrandTranslation(25%)
• Aesthetics • Messaging & Interactivity
Digital Marketing - 30%: Marketing efforts, off-site brand presence, and visibility on search engines.
•Search: Traffic, SEM, SEO, Web Authority
•Email:Frequency, Content, Social Media Integration, Promotion
•DigitalMarketingInnovation:Presence, Innovation
•BlogPresence:Mentions, Sentiment
Social Media - 20%: Brand presence, following, content, & influence on major social media platforms.
•Facebook:Likes, Growth, Post Frequency, Ability to Transact, Responsiveness
•Twitter:Followers, Growth, Tweet Frequency, Online Voice
•YouTube:Views, Number of Uploads, Subscriber Growth, Content
Mobile - 20%: Compatibility and marketing on smartphones and other mobile devices.
•MobileSites:Compatibility, Functionality, Ability to Transact
•SmartphoneApplications:Availability, Popularity, Functionality
• iPadIntegration:Marketing, Applications
METhODOLOGYCATEGORIES
140+ Genius Digital competence is a point of competitive differentiation for these brands. Sites are more than just transactional. These brands have creatively engineered their messaging to reach travelers on a variety of devices and online environments.
110-139 GiftedSites are highly functional. These brands typically are active in mobile and social media, are visible on top search engines, and offer email marketing.
90-109 AverageDigital presence is functional yet predictable, and innovation efforts are uninspired and lack ambition. Boilerplate marketing.
70-89 Challenged These brands bare-bones sites provide only basic functionality. Digital campaigns are an after-thought. Demonstrate an inability to activate their social communities and many are missing from mobile.
<70 Feeble These brands are digitally off the map. They are marked by poorly designed sites and a failure to leverage digital to market to consumers. Mobile and social media are not meaningful elements of their strategies.
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
CRUISEHOTEL
D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
1 DELTA Airline 168 GeniusFrom mile high check-ins on Foursquare to Facebook booking, Delta’s digital efforts are first in class
2 SOuThWEST Airline 165 Genius SWA’s superior marketing translates across digital touch points; strongest site in the Index
3 AMERiCAn AiRLinES Airline 158 GeniusContent-rich site, strong Twitter and Facebook following, and efficient mobile app help AA soar
4 W hOTELS hotel 149 Genius “Welcome to Wonderland” delivers W experience straight from your browser
5 hiLTOn hotel 143 GeniusManaging more than 530 properties on one site is no small feat; 22 percent ROI through mobile channels
6 WESTin hotel 141 Genius Amazon storefront allows enthusiasts to purchase the Heavenly bed online
7 COnTinEnTAL Airline 140 Genius Facebook frequent flier enrollment and international mobile check-in give Continental lift
8 LuFThAnSA Airline 139 Gifted MySkyStatus posts your flight coordinates to Twitter or Facebook from the air
9 FOuR SEASOnS hotel 138 Gifted Luxury leader buttresses customer service excellence via Twitter
10 inTERCOnTinEnTAL hotel 137 Gifted Insider iPad app boasts local concierge recommendations for more than 120 destinations
10 JETBLuE Airline 137 Gifted 1.6 million Twitter followers may come for deals, but stay for responsive customer service
12 hYATT hotel 136 Gifted Site leads in function and findability
13 BRiTiSh AiRWAYS Airline 135 Gifted Carbon offset add-on when booking signals innovation around sustainability
13 ROYAL CARiBBEAn Cruise 135 GiftedCommunity reviews, YouTube videos, and mobile app offer consumers a buffet of digital options
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GCRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
15 FAiRMOnT hOTELS hotel 134 GiftedEveryonesanoriginal.com social community allows guests and employees to share their stories, pictures, and videos
15 KLM Airline 134 GiftedSocial darling of the industry is not afraid to take risks; surprise campaign rewarded Twitterers with personalized gifts while they waited to board
17 ShERATOn hotel 132 Gifted Sheratonbetterwhenshared.com features guest stories from across the globe
18 MARRiOTT hotel 131 Gifted A giant in search, but doesn’t score as well on social media platforms
19 CAThAY PACiFiC Airline 130 Gifted Prolific presence on YouTube boosts Asia’s airline leader; iPad app profiles airline employees
20 AiR FRAnCE Airline 129 GiftedFacebook fan base increased almost 400 percent from February to mid-March on the wings of F-Commerce
21 hOLLAnD AMERiCA Cruise 127 Gifted One of the few luxury cruise lines aggressively purchasing search terms on Bing
21 QAnTAS Airline 127 GiftedExtends a warm Aussie welcome to site visitors with top-notch customer service and informative airport guides
21 uniTED Airline 127 GiftedBrand is in transition and it shows; site’s strong transaction-functionality is handicapped by dated aesthetics
24 LE MÉRiDiEn hotel 126 Gifted“LM 100” serve as brand ambassadors online, but Facebook presence doesn’t extend to properties
24 ViRGin ATLAnTiC Airline 126 Gifted The Innovation Zone showcases the best in travel mobile apps
26 OMni hotel 124 GiftedScores points for mobile apps and Facebook responsiveness, but luxe feel fails to translate online
27 MAnDARin ORiEnTAL hotel 122 Gifted Site customer service lags luxury peers, but makes up ground on social media
28 AiR nEW ZEALAnD Airline 119 GiftedRico campaign on YouTube is one of the most playful in the industry, but poor site functionality keeps brand from taking off
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GCRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
28 LuxuRY COLLECTiOn hotel 119 GiftedLimited social media presence hurts, but brand gets marks for destination guides and ability to search hotels by “pursuit”
28 ST. REGiS hotel 119 Gifted Individual properties are on Twitter, but the brand hasn’t checked in
28 uS AiRWAYS Airline 119 Gifted Highly functional but otherwise forgettable site
32 EMiRATES Airline 118 Gifted Brand YouTube channel includes link to booking
33 DiSnEY CRuiSE LinE Cruise 117 GiftedSocial media sweetheart’s fanatical following on YouTube buttresses entire Disney travel empire
34 AiR CAnADA Airline 115 Gifted Connects Canada to the world, but is not connecting with passengers via social media
35 RiTZ-CARLTOn hotel 110 Gifted Interactive Facebook page garners five stars but bland site fails to deliver
35 SinGAPORE AiRLinES Airline 110 GiftedCabin Experience videos on site highlight each class of service, including menu and entertainment options
37 nORWEGiAn CRuiSE LinE Cruise 109 Average Engages cruise community through user reviews and Facebook countdown clock
37 SOFiTEL hotel 109 AverageFacebook page has grown fast on heels of strong app that allows guests to interact with individual properties
39 KiMPTOn hotel 106 Average Boutique chain scores innovation points offline, but is still figuring out social media
40 KOREAn AiR Airline 105 Average Features one of industry’s only video newsletters
41 WALT DiSnEY WORLD RESORT hotel 104 Average Social media presence brings Disney magic to life, but no photographs of rooms on site
42 FROnTiER Airline 103 AverageStrong synergy between site, print, and social media but will need more than its “spokesanimal” mascots to woo fans online
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
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D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GCRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
43 ViRGin AMERiCA Airline 102 Average Hip brand is not part of the cool crowd online
44 CunARD LinE Cruise 99 Average Facebook presence and YouTube videos suggest brand is willing to extend its regal heritage
45 ETihAD AiRWAYS Airline 98 AverageExperience Etihad provides virtual tours of the luxury cabin, lounge, and transportation services
46 WALDORF ASTORiA hotel 96 Average Inconsistent site varies by property, but scores points for translating on a mobile device
47 ShAnGRi-LA hotel 95 Average Strong mobile and social media efforts keep brand out of the challenged ranks
48 SWiSSôTEL hotel 94 Average Facebook ski jump app attempts to tap into gamification phenomenon
49 LOEWS hotel 93 Average Seamless booking and strong customer service, but brand lacks digital differentiation
50 ThAi AiRWAYS Airline 92 Average Limited site functionality and social presence make Thai just average
51 JOiE DE ViVRE hotel 90 Average Attributes more than 1,000 bookings to tweets and Facebook posts
52 ThE LEADinG hOTELS hotel 89 Challenged Broken links show lack of digital leadership
53 SOuTh AFRiCAn AiRWAYS Airline 88 Challenged Poor technology and outdated information leaves site at the gate
54 JW MARRiOTT hotel 87 Challenged Limited social media outreach suggests brand forgot the turndown service
55 JuMEiRAh hotel 86 ChallengedMy Jumeirah virtual space allows guests to customize their travel and site browsing experience
55 LinDBLAD ExPEDiTiOnS Cruise 86 Challenged Clunky reservation system renders visitors queezy
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GCRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
55 PEninSuLA hOTELS hotel 86 Challenged Visually appealing site falls flat on functionality
58 BAnYAn TREE hotel 84 Challenged Brand gets needed boost from high engagement and growth on Facebook
58 RELAiS & ChÂTEAux hotel 84 Challenged Site lacks functionality, but iPhone app delights
60 KEMPinSKi hotel 82 Challenged Europe’s oldest luxury hotel chain seems stuck in the digital Dark Ages
60 QATAR AiRWAYS Airline 82 Challenged Public company with a private Twitter account?
62 P&O CRuiSES Cruise 81 Challenged Cruise webcams score points for “Britain’s favorite cruise line”
62 RAFFLES hotel 81 Challenged Strong aesthetics provide only partial reprieve from dated and glitchy website
64 CRYSTAL CRuiSES Cruise 78 Challenged Brand site remains docked without e-commerce capability
64 SEABOuRn Cruise 78 Challenged Luxury feel but limited social media presence
66 MORGAnS hOTEL GROuP hotel 77 Challenged Lifestyle content differentiates brand; UrbanDaddy partnership amplifies message
66 OCEAniA CRuiSES Cruise 77 Challenged Average website functionality and limited social media usage places Oceania in steerage
66 REGEnT SEVEn SEAS CRuiSES Cruise 77 Challenged Subtle reservation box on site is easy on the eyes but loses points on conversion
66 WARWiCK inTERnATiOnAL hotel 77 Challenged Limited community suggests social media late arrival
70 COnRAD hotel 75 Challenged Fails to step out of shadow of larger Hilton brand online
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
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D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GCRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
71 OBEROi hotel 74 Challenged No email opt-in limits online communication
71 PREFERRED hotel 74 Challenged Strong loyalty program fails to unite brand online
73 WinDSTAR CRuiSES Cruise 73 ChallengedGenerates more traffic than most luxury cruise lines, but without booking capability what is it worth?
74 OnE&OnLY hotel 72 Challenged Elegant site is hampered by poor functionality
75 SiLVERSEA CRuiSES Cruise 71 Challenged Social sharing hints at digital aptitude, but no booking capability causes IQ to sink
76 AZAMARA CLuB CRuiSES Cruise 68 Feeble Destinations dominate on gorgeous site, but social media efforts have yet to embark
77 TAJ GROuP OF hOTELS hotel 67 Feeble Lackluster social media impairs India’s luxury leader
78 PARK hYATT hotel 65 Feeble Limited stand-alone social media presence and hard-to-find site hinder differentiation online
79 ASiAnA Airline 64 Feeble Limited unique visitors and page rank hurt brand
80 ROCKRESORTS hotel 62 Feeble No customer loyalty program and limited social media use constrain hospitality online
81 SEADREAM YAChT CLuB Cruise 61 Feeble Mobile presence prevents shipwreck, but limited transaction-capability damages IQ
82 REGEnT inTERnATiOnAL hotel 54 FeebleInaccurate, text-heavy site coupled with social media absence leaves this brand trailing its peers
83 AiR ChinA Airline 52 FeebleDated website and lack of social media presence limit brand in U.S. market, but mobile effort provides a boost
84 PAn PACiFiC hotel 51 Feeble One of a handful of hotel brands that has ignored Twitter
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
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D I G I TA L I Q R A n k I n GCRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
Rank Brand Category Digital iQ Class Description
85 ROSEWOOD hotel 50 FeebleURL architecture assures each property can stand alone but fails to yield economies in search, traffic, or authority
86 hAinAn AiRLinES Airline 48 Feeble One of the few airlines with no mobile offering
87 ORiEnT-ExPRESS hotel 45 Feeble Without online upgrades hotel chain risks digital oblivion
88 JAPAn AiRLinES Airline 36 Feeble Outdated site and lack of social media leaves the brand sitting on the tarmac
89 SWAn hELLEniC Cruise 31 Feeble Facebook launch in February may put some needed wind in its sails
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
AVERAGE DIGITAL IQ &
PERCEnT OF BOOkInGS OnLInE
By Category
60
AIRLINES
80
90
100
110
120
70
20%
10%
30%
40%
50%
60%
0%
113
97
86
E CRUIS LINESHOTELS
48%
30%
9%D
igita
l IQ
Sco
re
% o
f Boo
king
s O
nlin
e
k E Y F I n D I n G S
Selling is KnowingThere is a direct relationship between the average Digital IQ
by category and the percentage of purchases made online.
Nearly half of Airline bookings are made online. The 29 airlines
studied registered an average Digital IQ of 113, and 62 percent
of brands were classified as Genius or Gifted. The Cruise
category lags the industry, and generates only nine percent of
its bookings online. Cruise lines posted an average Digital IQ
of 86 and six of the 16 brands in the Index do not provide basic
e-commerce capability.
What’s next? Look for increased personalization of
consumer interactions with hospitality brands, based
upon past preferences and current online behavior.
This mass customization will cut across all digital media as the
consumer researches, purchases, takes part in, and reflects upon the
travel experience.
—Stuart Levy | Assistant Professor, Dept. of Tourism & Hospitality Management, The George Washington University School of Business
”
“
DiGiTAL iQ
110-139
DiGiTAL iQ
70-89
Lufthansa
Four Seasons
InterContinental
JetBlue
Hyatt
British Airways
Royal Caribbean
Fairmont Hotels
KLM
Sheraton
Marriott
Cathay Pacific
Air France
Holland America
Qantas
United
Le Méridien
Virgin Atlantic
Omni
Mandarin Oriental
Air New Zealand
Luxury Collection
St. Regis
US Airways
Emirates
Disney Cruise Line
Air Canada
Ritz-Carlton
Singapore Airlines
The Leading Hotels
South African Airways
JW Marriott
Jumeirah
Lindblad Expeditions
Peninsula Hotels
Banyan Tree
Relais & Chateaux
Kempinski
Qatar Airways
P&O Cruises
Raffles International
Crystal Cruises
Seabourn
Cruise Line
Morgans Hotel Group
Oceania Cruises
Regent 7 Seas Cruises
Warwick International
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Oberoi
Preferred Hotels and
Resorts
WindStar Cruises
One&Only
Silversea Cruises
DiGiTAL iQ
>140
DiGiTAL iQ
90-109
DiGiTAL iQ
<70
Delta
Southwest
American
W Hotels
Hilton
Westin
Continental
Norwegian Cruise Line
Sofitel
Kimpton
Korean Air
Walt Disney World Resorts
Frontier
Virgin America
Cunard
Etihad Airways
Waldorf Astoria
Shangri-La
Swissôtel
Loews
Thai Airways
Joie de Vivre
Azamara Cruises
Taj Group of Hotels
Park Hyatt
Asiana Airlines
RockResorts
SeaDream Yacht Club
Regent International Hotels
Air China
Pan Pacific
Rosewood Hotels
Hainan Airlines
Orient-Express Hotels
Japan Airlines
Swan Hellenic
4
2
6
8
Genius Gifted Average Challenged Feeble
3.4
4.24.0
4.9
6.2
Min
utes
0
AVERAGE TIME On TRAVEL SITES
by Digital IQ Class
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
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k E Y F I n D I n G S
BifurcationThe dispersion of Digital IQ demonstrates that the prestige travel
industry does not follow a traditional bell curve when it comes
to digital innovation. A remarkable 41 percent of brands were
classified as Genius or Gifted, however an additional 43 percent
were Challenged or Feeble. The dispersion of scoring suggests
the winners are pulling away from the losers when it comes to
online aptitude.
There is also a relationship between Digital IQ and the amount
of time users spend on the brand site. Genius and Gifted brands
register average user time of 6.2 minutes and 4.9 minutes,
respectively, while users spend only 3.4 minutes on the sites of
Feeble brands.
DIGITAL IQ DISPERSIOn
%ofOrganizationsperDigitalIQClass
GEniuS
33%
8%
17%
27%
16%
GiFTED
AVERAGE
FEEBLE
ChALLEnGED
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
DIGITAL IQ vs . YEAR-OVER-YEAR ChAnGE In
AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE
(Hotels with Published Data: 2010 vs. 2009)
k E Y F I n D I n G S
Digital iQ = Pricing PowerThe recession forced the prestige hotel industry to slash its
room rates. Our analysis demonstrates a positive correlation
of 0.60 between Digital IQ and 2010 versus 2009 changes in
Average Daily Rate among the nine hotels with published data,
suggesting hotel brands that are more digitally competent have
been able to rebound faster.
innovation Silos?Examination of Digital IQ across portfolio companies sug-
gests travel industry conglomerates are good at leveraging
economies of scale online across multiple brands. The average
Digital IQ dispersion of parent companies in the industry was
40 points, versus a dispersion of 77 points across parent com-
panies in the 2010 Digital IQ Index®: Luxury and 47 points in the
2010 Digital IQ Index®: Beauty.
With six brands in the study, Starwood highlights the benefits of
an organization-wide approach to digital. All of the company’s
brands sit on the same site platform, providing enhanced SEO,
cross-sell opportunities, and best-in-class customer service
without compromising the distinct identity of each hotel. Star-
wood has taken a similar approach on Facebook, where the
company boasts a page for nearly every property. Each page
highlights unique features of the property, brand, and desti-
nation while leveraging community engagement tactics and
content from across the Starwood organization.
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
5% 6% 7% 8%
Dig
ital I
Q
% Change in Average Daily Rate
0% 2%1% 3% 4%
Correlation = .60
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
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k E Y F I n D I n G S
AVERAGE DIGITAL IQ BY PORTFOLIO COMPAnY
Organizations with More than One Brand
FEEB
LECH
ALLE
NG
EDAV
ERAG
EG
IFTE
DG
ENIU
S
70
40
90
110
140
170
Starwoo
d Hote
ls &
Resor
ts Wor
ldwide
n=6
Carniv
al Cor
pora
tionn=
5
Marrio
tt Int
erna
tiona
l
n=3
Hilton W
orldw
iden=
3
Fairm
ont R
affles
Hotels
Inter
natio
nal
n=3
Air Fra
nce–KLM
n=2
Apollo
Glob
al Man
agem
ent
n=2
Hyatt
Hotels
Corpo
ratio
nn=
2
Royal
Caribb
ean
Cruise
s Ltd.
n=2
United
Contin
ental
Holding
s
n=2
Virgin
Groupn=
2
The W
alt D
isney
Compa
ny
n=2
AVG IQ
131
AVG IQ
89
AVG IQ
109 AVG IQ
105 AVG IQ
103
AVG IQ
66
AVG IQ
101
AVG IQ
134
AVG IQ
114
AVG IQ
132
Disparity
30
Disparity
66
Disparity
44
Disparity
68Disparity
53Disparity
5
Disparity
23
Disparity
71
Disparity
13
Disparity
24
AVG IQ
111
Disparity
13
AVG IQ
102
Disparity
67
CRUISEHOTELAIRLINE
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
Leading travel brands recognize the opportunity to
use digital and social media as more than a booking
channel. Genius brands use their websites and social
media communities to extend and enhance the customer service
experience; creating deeper connections with travelers and allowing
guests to experience the quality of their customer service before,
during and after their stay.
—Melissa Dowler | Chief Marketing Officer, ISM
k E Y F I n D I n G S
The hareAlthough travel brands sped to the front of the pack with
commerce-enabled sites, analysis across airlines, cruise lines,
and hotels suggests progress in the digital medium has slowed.
Nearly 40 percent of travel brand sites fail to incorporate video.
Less than half provide an online customer loyalty or frequent flier
program. Only 28 percent have some form of social sharing, and
just 20 percent incorporate the Facebook Like button.
While prestige travel is largely built around customer service,
only 17 percent of the brands in the study offer live chat.
Southwest, the leader in site scoring, provides a glimpse into
the future of brand travel sites, blending function, technology,
and community.
SITECONTENT&TOOLS
%ofBrandSiteswithandWithouttheFollowingTools:
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Online LoyaltyProgram
SocialSharing
Video
28%
20%
9%
17%
72%
80%
62%
45%
38%
OnlineBooking 93% 7%
55%
91%
83%
Facebook“Like”
Live Chat
UserReviews
= YES
= NO
”
“
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
under Review Although two-thirds of consumers report being influenced by
traveler-generated ratings, only nine percent of the brands in
the study offer reviews on their sites.3 Even among those of-
fering reviews, most segregate them from the booking experi-
ence or sanitize the feedback. Examples include Fairmont’s
Everyone’s an Original microsite or Kepinski Hotels, which
link to pages on TripAdvisor. Although laggard in other dimen-
sions, the Cruise category has been the first to embrace guest
feedback, and four brands include user reviews. Traffic to sites
that incorporate user reviews grew 24 percent, versus seven
percent for those without reviews, suggesting user-generated
content provides more authenticity and traffic.
The increasing Cost of SearchIndustry revenues are up significantly following the recession,
but traffic to the 89 travel brand sites in the Index is down eight
percent year-on-year. One of the reasons is the increasing cost
of paid search, one of the industry’s primary traffic drivers.
Of the brands in the Index, 72 percent engage in key-word
purchase on Google, and 64 percent purchase terms on Bing.
Average cost-per-click search advertising was up 21.3 per-
cent in the travel industry January 2010 through January 2011,
suggesting it is becoming increasingly expensive for brands to
compete for prime search engine real estate.4 Google’s April
acquisition of ITA, a software company that powers the majority
of flight fare search on brand sites and travel portals, provides
additional cause for pause, and many predict search engine
marketing pricing will continue to skyrocket.
k E Y F I n D I n G S
IMPACT OF SITE FEATURES On TRAFFIC GROwTh
(March 2010–March 2011)
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
YES NO YES NO
User Reviews Social Sharing
Traf
fic G
row
th
0%
24%
7%
17%
6%
3. “Top Traveler Technology Trends,” PhoCusWright, August 26, 2010
4. Company Blog, EfficientFrontier, February 4, 2011
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 19
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Travel
Hospitality companies should not view OTAs as com-
petitors. Rather, they can be strategic collaborators
and super-marketers. Recent research termed the
“Billboard Effect” demonstrates that hotel exposure on OTA listings
can drive significant additional booking traffic though brand websites.
—Stuart Levy | Assistant Professor, Dept. of Tourism & Hospitality Management, The George Washington University School of Business
While many travel sites have evolved into purely
transactional platforms, your customer may have
just come from your competitor’s site. The best sites
communicate a unique brand experience in a way that doesn’t inter-
fere with the transaction.
—Bob Minihan | Chief Creative Officer, ISM
k E Y F I n D I n G S
The Online itineraryThe average online consumer visits more than 20 sites while
researching travel online.5 Examining the upstream and down-
stream referral sites across the 89 brands reveals that social
media, online travel agents such as Travelocity and
Expedia, and competitor sites factor considerably into this
sample set.
In addition, brands are driving significant traffic to and from
Facebook. Of the brands in the Index, 78 percent registered
Facebook as a top-eight source of referral traffic, and on aver-
age Facebook drove seven percent of traffic to brand sites.
Even more staggering, 90 percent of the brands recorded
Facebook as a top destination site after leaving the brand site.
% of Brands
To Brand Site
% of Traffic
Upstream Traffic Downstream Traffic
% of Brands % of Traffic
40%
20%
80%
60%
100%
11%
6%3%
90%
52%
35%
7%5%
2%
81%
47%
29%
From Brand Site
0%
TOP8REFERRAL&DESTINATIONSITES: TRAVELBRANDSITES
Upstream and Downstream Traffic to and from
Social Media Sites, Online Travel Agents, and Competitor Sites
= SOCIAL MEDIA SITE
= ONLINE TRAVEL AGENTS (OTAs)
= COMPETITOR
5. “Refining the Travel Search Process,” Compete & Google, December 15, 2009
”
”
“
“
2 Hoursor Less
2-6 Hours
7-12 Hours
13-24 Hours
Over24 Hours
Does NotRespond
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
0%
4%
16%
27%
21%
15%16%
BRAnD FAn POST RESPOnSIVEnESS
Across 85 Brand Facebook Pages
(March 2011)
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 20
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The Web is Dying & Facebook is ThrivingAnother reason for diminishing traffic to brand sites is the
maturation of the web and the rise of Facebook. In 2001, the 10
most-visited sites on the web accounted for 31 percent of U.S.
page views, in 2006 it was 40 percent, and it is now 75 percent,
suggesting the medium and long tail of the web is decreasing
in importance.6 Facebook alone accounts for 12.3 percent of
all consumer time on the Internet.7 Facebook usage is nearly
ubiquitous across the travel category, and all but four brands
feature at least one dedicated page. During the first quarter
2011 measurement period, travel brand Facebook communities
grew an average of 20 percent.
Your customers already spend their time on Face-
book, so targeting them there is more efficient and
effective than driving them to custom-built social
networking portals. Facebook continues to enhance its flexibility for
custom fan page and application development, making the social
networking site an increasingly attractive option for brands.
—Melissa Dowler | Chief Marketing Officer, ISM
k E Y F I n D I n G S
6. “The Web is Dead, Long Live the Internet,” Chris Anderson and Michael Wolff, Wired Magazine, August 17, 2010
7. “The 2010 Digital Year in Review,” comScore, February 8, 2011
”
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© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 21
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Travel
k E Y F I n D I n G S
Social Media ManagementTravel brands take a variety of approaches (marketing, custom-
er service, commerce, etc.) when it comes to managing social
media across properties and regions. Almost half of the Hotel
brands had more than one account on Facebook and Twitter.
Four Seasons maintains accounts on both social media
platforms for each of its properties. Norwegian Cruise Line
maintains separate pages by region, including specific pages
for Argentinean and Brazilian passengers. Nine percent of
brands on Facebook and 12 percent of those on Twitter have
no centralized accounts, opting to let properties manage their
own social media efforts.
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES
Across All Brands
10%
20%
30%
50%
40%
0%
33%
49%
9%8%
48%
28%
11% 12%
Facebook Twitter
TwIT TER COnTEnT
%ofBrandsonTwitterwiththeFollowing:
News/Info
Deals
Contests
CustomerService
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
83%
65%
46%
52%
17%
35%
54%
48%
= BRAND PAGE & PROPERTY/ REGIONAL PAGES
= BRAND PAGE ONLY
= NO PRESENCE
= PROPERTY/ REGIONAL PAGES ONLY
= YES
= NO
Regional Twitter page for Four Seasons’ Beverly hills location
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 22
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Travel
k E Y F I n D I n G S
= 50,000 FACEBOOK
LIKES
0 100% 200% 300% 400%
377%Air France
239%RegentInternational
144%British Airways
54%P&O Cruises
53%South African
Airways
45%Cathay Pacific
39%One&Only
39%Frontier
34%Air New Zealand
32%Hyatt
American
Lufthansa
Emirates
United
Royal Caribbean
Air France
JetBlue Airways
Disney Cruise Line
Southwest
Walt DisneyWorld Resort
5,699,438
1,330,073
471,787
315,803
265,751
255,970
226,926
178,146
136,385
514,793
TOP10BRANDS: FACEBOOKLIKES
(March 2011)
TOP 10 FASTEST-GROwInG FACEBOOk ACCOUnTS
(January–March 2011)
Drove significant “like” growth. Fans guessed the location of the “photo of the day” to be entered into a sweepstakes for 30 pairs of round trip tickets. Chance of winning increased by inviting friends to enter.
AIR FRAnCE TRAVEL ChALLEnGE
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 23
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k E Y F I n D I n G S
BEST INTWEET: TOP10FOLLOWERS
(March 2011)
TOP 10 FASTEST-GROwInG TwIT TER ACCOUnTS
(January–March 2011)
= 25,000 TWITTER FOLLOWERS
0 20% 40% 60% 80%
83%@AIRNZUSA
70%@WindstarCruises
58%@SAAUSA
47%@RelaisChateaux
42%@MarriottHotels
38%@AirCanada
32%@jumeirah
26%@AzamaraVoyages
25%@Lufthansa_USA
23%@EtihadDeals
@JetBlue
@SouthwestAir
@VirginAmerica
@UnitedAirlines
@AmericanAir
@Delta
@WaltDisneyWorld
@continental
@USAirways
@BritishAirways
1,606,910
1,088,473
170,452
163,660
163,084
142,552
127,301
118,444
105,233
95,797
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 24
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Travel
TOP10BRANDS: TWEETSPERDAY
(January–March 2011)
= 1 TWEET
Korean Air
Windstar Cruises
Hilton
Peninsula Hotels
Ritz-Carlton
JetBlue
Virgin Atlantic
Sofitel
Four Seasons
Hyatt
35.0
29.5
24.6
15.4
12.2
12.1
11.6
11.5
11.1
10.4
Surprisingly, many travel brands are not utilizing
Twitter and Facebook to quickly address consumer
complaints. Companies cannot afford to simply
“dip their toes” in the social media current—they must dive in with a
“listen, react, and engage” strategy.
—Stuart Levy | Assistant Professor, Dept. of Tourism & Hospitality Management, The George Washington University School of Business
k E Y F I n D I n G S
Rapid ResponseSeventy percent of U.S. hoteliers monitor guest reviews on
their own and third-party sites weekly at a minimum.8 Although
third-party review sites, such as TripAdvisor and Yelp, used to
be consumers’ soapboxes of choice, Facebook, and Twitter
have taken their place. Across the 85 brand Facebook pages in
the study, four-in-five travel brands respond to customer service
inquiries.
On Twitter, brands are not as proactive, and less than half
are actively responding to customer service concerns. While
adoption has been mixed, many brands are using social
media responsiveness as a point of differentiation. The Palms
Hotel, which was not included in the study, integrates guest
Klout scores, a measure of influence on Twitter and Facebook,
directly into its registration system and provides upgrades to
guests with substantial online influence.
8. “Best Practices for Maximizing Your Hotel, Online Revenue, and ROI”, HSMAI Foundation & Vizergy, June 2010
“
”
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 25
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k E Y F I n D I n G S
The Travel ChannelAll but eight brands in the Index maintain a YouTube channel.
For many brands, YouTube merely provides another platform
for television commercials, flight safety demonstrations, and
promotional videos. However, a few organizations are pushing
the boundaries of viral video. Disney Parks’ YouTube channel
features 576 videos about the magic of Disney, including a
user-generated musical marriage proposal that has garnered
more than 3.6 million views. The majority of Air New Zealand’s
playful videos feature sassy spokespuppet, Rico, who flirts with
flight attendants and raps with Snoop Dogg.
TOP10BRANDS: YOUTUBE
Brand Channels with the Most Upload Views
(March 2011)
American
NorwegianCruise Line
KLM
Qantas
Virgin America
Hyatt
Air New Zealand
Delta
Southwest
Walt Disney WorldResort & Cruises
4,222,536
6,031,820
17,022,148
713,470
858,310
1,052,966
1,172,643
1,586,449
1,666,208
2,841,066
= 250,000 YOUTUBE VIDEO VIEWS
YouTube channels for Air new Zealand
and Disney Parks
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 26
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0 1 2 3 4 5
1.9Continental
1.2Emirates
1.0Air Canada
0.9Southwest
0.9JetBlue
0.8Lindblad Expeditions
0.7Qantas
0.7Hilton
0.7Frontier
0.7Etihad Airways
4.6American
k E Y F I n D I n G S
You’ve Got MailSixty-three percent of consumers who receive email from a
travel supplier are more likely to purchase from the brand.9
Even with the rise of social media, email remains one of the
highest ROI marketing tools. Ninety percent of the brands in
the study maintain an email marketing program. Most averaged
only one email every two weeks. American Airlines was the
most prolific, averaging almost five emails a week, more than
2.5 times the number of messages from the next brand.
There is still significant low-hanging fruit in email marketing.
Ten brands that offered email opt-in failed to correspond within
a six-week period. Across categories, 87 percent of email
messaging from brands was not optimized for a mobile device.
25% 50% 75% 100%
Email Opt-in
Welcome Email
90%
66%
79%
13%
56%
10%
34%
21%
87%
44%
Additional Marketing Emails
Link to SocialMedia on Email
Email Viewableon Mobile
0%
EMAIL MARkETInG%ofBrands
= NO
= YES
TOP10BRANDS: AVERAGEEMAILSPERWEEK
(January–March 2011)
AIRLINE
CRUISE
HOTEL
9. “Flying High: Measuring the Value of Email Marketing for the Travel Industry”, Epsilon Data Management, February 2009
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 27
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Mobile applications will be of relatively less
importance, given the increased technological
sophistication of mobile sites along with the limited
number of apps that smart-phone users tend to download.
—Stuart Levy | Assistant Professor, Dept. of Tourism & Hospitality Management, The George Washington University School of Business
Genius brands are optimizing their existing sites for
mobile and going further by creating mobile-specific
tools to target travelers.
—Melissa Dowler | Chief Marketing Officer, ISM
HOTELS
MOBILE PRESEnCE BY CATEGORY
%ofBrandswiththeFollowing:
k E Y F I n D I n G S
An Approved Portable Electronic DeviceIncreasingly, travelers are turning to their mobile devices to help
research, plan, manage, document, and share their travel ex-
periences. Next year, 15.1 million people are expected to book
travel using a mobile device.10 Of the brands in the Index, 56
percent have a mobile site and 48 percent have a smart-phone
application. Twelve brands have apps designed for the latest
must-have accessory, the iPad. Hotels and Airlines are the
most active in the mobile space, with many allowing customers
to book, check in, and track their loyalty points online.
IPhOnE APP CAPABILITIES BY CATEGORY
%ofBrandAppswiththeFollowing:
25%
50%
75%
100%
0%Book Check-In Boarding PassLoyalty
42%
73%79%
14%
63%55%
47%
NA
25%
50%
75%
100%
0%Mobile Site Smartphone App iPad App
76%
6%
61%66%
13%
50%
24%
0%
11%
AIRLINES
AIRLINES
CRUISE LINES
HOTELS
10. “Mobile Travel Takes Off: Emerging Trends and Best Practices for Marketers,” eMarketer, March 2011
”
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“
“
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 28
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
AIRLInES SOAR On TwITTER
Nine of the 10 most followed travel brands on Twitter are air-
lines. From the brand perspective, airlines are trying to combat
increasing consumer frustration in the face of rising fees by
proactively engaging their communities.
During Air New Zealand’s “12 Days of Valentines” Twitter cam-
paign, followers were encouraged to respond to the question,
“What is your favorite cuddle position?” Each day the most creative
answer was selected by judges to win a round-trip flight for two on
a Skycouch to Auckland or London. @AirNZUSA grew its followers
76 percent two weeks into the promotion.
To celebrate the inaugural Airbus A380 flight from Germany to
New York City, @Lufthansa_USA Twitter followers were allowed
to select one seat on the virtual A380 seat map. Each day for
four days, one virtual passenger was randomly selected to win a
vacation package to Frankfurt. In two weeks, @Lufthansa_USA
gained 2,000 new followers. The airline also paired the online
campaign with an offline component, a one-day scavenger hunt
in New York’s trendy SoHo neighborhood to win a pair of round-
trip tickets to Europe, with clues posted on its Twitter account.
Lufthansa utilizes Twitter for flight give-aways
Air new Zealand’s “12 Days of Valentine’s” campaign prompts tweets from its followers
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 29
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
Delta uses Twitter to monitor customer service issues and com-
plaints 24/7, employing its @Delta and @DeltaAssist accounts
to preempt passenger issues. The latter account is particularly
active, rebooking customers’ flights when they Tweet in-flight, of-
fering reimbursements, posting travel advisories, and using real-
time info to adjust on-the-ground operations at boarding gates.
True to its value DNA, JetBlue was one of the first airlines to
embrace Twitter as a platform to broadcast last-minute deals.
Its @JetBlueCheeps account was launched in July 2009 with
tantalizingly low fares ($49 each way to Las Vegas!).
Delta uses Twitter to address both customer service issues and real-time travel information
JetBlue broadcasts last-minute deals
through Twitter
The importance of mobile to the travel category is
right there in its name: mobile. From the moment
your customer leaves Point A on their way to any
Point B, their mobile devices are going to be their primary means of
consuming—and generating content.
—Bob Minihan | Chief Creative Officer, ISM
”
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© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 30
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
PLAYInG OFFEnSE
Taking a page from the playbooks of travel portals Expe-
dia and TripAdvisor, travel brands are attempting to foster
the same sense of community and brand loyalty that the
OTAs have achieved. Norwegian Cruise Line’s online forum,
“Freestyle Voices,” allows past cruisers to post reviews on
the ship and shore excursions. Future passengers can ask
questions about their upcoming trip and start a countdown
clock that doubles as a vehicle for connecting cruisers pre-
embarkment.
Sheraton’s “Better When Shared” virtual community allows
travelers to recount their experiences at and memories of
various Sheraton properties and give advice on local attrac-
tions, dining, shopping, and more to future travelers. With
Facebook sharing and an interactive interface, the microsite
is a good first step to building a digital community. Many of
the posted stories, however, read as little more than adver-
tisements for a specific property’s amenities.
Fairmont’s highly interactive “Everyone’s an Original” is a
more robust community effort, with a large library of user-
generated content across a wide breadth of categories,
including mixology and the 2010 Olympics. Fairmont salts
original content, including recipes from property chefs.
Sheraton has built a digital community through customer’s shared experiences and memories
norwegian Cruise Line allows users to start a countdown and connect with cruisers pre-embarkment
Fairmont boosts community spirit through its interactive “Everyone’s an Original” site
Savvy travel brands provide a forum for customers to
share feedback on their own web and social media
sites. This lets them monitor and participate in con-
versations and scores authenticity points with potential customers.
—Melissa Dowler | Chief Marketing Officer, ISM
”
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© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 31
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
KLMSURPRISE In ThE SkIES
KLM introduced a campaign this past holiday season to surprise,
delight, and reward its customers. The KLM Surprise team moni-
tored Foursquare activity at its locations. For each passenger
who checked in, the team searched for corresponding Facebook,
Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts to determine a personalized sur-
prise gift for the customer waiting in the terminal. Gifts included
champagne, notebooks, and a custom itinerary of New York’s
best soccer bars. Not satisfied to stop there, KLM uploaded pic-
tures of surprised passengers to Facebook and monitored con-
versations about the campaign across social media platforms.
kLM uses Foursquare to surprise passengers with hand-selected gifts
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 32
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
KLMDJS On A PLAnE!
In March, a Dutch DJ and filmmaker tweeted disappointment that
KLM’s recently reinstated Amsterdam-Miami flight would depart
one week too late for the annual preeminent Ultra Music Festival.
KLM responded, challenging the duo to find enough passengers
to fill an earlier flight. Five hours later, 150 travelers were signed
up and shortly thereafter were airborne in what became the
Guinness World Record for the world’s highest dance party.
kLM’s in-flight DJ dance party all began with
a tweet
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 33
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
AA(ThE)UPWARDLYMOBILEAMERICAN
Leaving its competitors in its airstream, American Airlines has
blazed a path to mobile dominance. American’s mobile foot-
print includes commerce functionality across its mobile iPhone,
iPad, and Android apps. All three apps enable fliers to quickly
book reservations, monitor flight status, check in, and generate
an electronic boarding pass. American’s mobile apps provide
upgrades to the travel experience with offers such as AA sudoku,
terminal maps, and one-day passes to Admirals Club lounges.
American Airlines allows passengers to search, book, track, and even board flights all from their mobile device
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 34
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
MAnDARin ORiEnTAL A LUxURY hOTEL In ThE PALM OF YOUR hAnD
Mandarin Oriental’s free iPhone app matches the brand’s reputa-
tion for timely service and a chic aesthetic. Using stunning imagery
from properties around the world, the app features seamless
search and reservation functionality. Users can find a hotel and
immerse themselves in the brand with photos, detailed amenities,
city information, and special offers.
This app provides guests with detailed amenities, city information, and special offers worldwide
Mandarin Oriental’s homepage
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 35
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
LuFThAnSA ThE DIGITAL CARRY-On
Combating boredom in the skies, Lufthansa recently unveiled
CloudStream, a social content site. Users can “pack” articles,
music, videos, and other online content for quick access while
traveling. With a browser bookmark, adding content to their
“My carry-on” is as simple as a click and is accessible over any
Internet connection, including Lufthansa’s in-flight Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi
on other airlines, or at home. Additionally, Lufthansa takes the
extra step of curating content feeds across categories such as
art, travel, and business.
This is not the airline’s first foray into enhancing the flight expe-
rience. In 2009, Lufthansa launched the MySkyStatus website
app that sent passengers’ altitude, location, departure, and
arrival updates to their Facebook and Twitter accounts, regard-
less of what airline they were flying.
Lufthansa’s digital carry-on helps
passengers curate content to access
while traveling
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 36
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
WALT DiSnEY WORLD RESORT / CRuiSES MICkEY MEETS ZUCk
One of the most iconic travel destinations in the world, Walt
Disney World has no trouble attracting a massive fan base
on Facebook. Feature-rich tabs include Share Memories, I’m
Going to Walt Disney World, and Epcot® Flower & Garden.
Mickey’s Facebook page offers behind-the-scenes videos, trav-
el advice, and planning resources, and solicits user-generated
content. Antithetical to social media, however, is users’ inability
to post on Disney’s wall.
Share memories and plan your trip through Disney’s
Facebook page
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 37
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
FOuR SEASOnS A SEASOn FOR FAMILIES / FAMILY FOR ALL SEASOnS
Four Seasons has always been synonymous with the highest
quality service, creating a “home away from home.” No surprise
then that the brand’s latest campaign focuses on families and
memories. The recently launched “Have Family Will Travel” blog
offers varied tales from writers who have traveled the world
with family in tow. Featuring rich media, tips, stories, and more,
it’s quickly becoming a go-to blog for the family on the move.
Four Seasons has incorporated the blog as the landing tab on
its Facebook page, unifying its web presence. In conjunction
with the blog, the Facebook tab also solicits guests to upload
photos of their vacation memories to an easy-to-use music
video generator.
The Four Seasons blog has developed a community of like-users who share experiences of traveling with a family in tow
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 38
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
inTERCOnTinEnTAL ThE VIRTUAL COnCIERGE
Recognizing that a trip starts well before their guest re-
ceives a room key, many hotels offer itinerary-enhancing
content on their sites. Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts
leads the way, encouraging guests to “Explore the Area”
around each property with a variety of virtual services.
Each hotel’s chief concierge has recorded videos featur-
ing spotlights on hotel amenities, dining, local attractions,
shopping advice, and more. Each video is shareable via
email and downloadable for use on the go. Property pages
also recommend the “perfect day” itinerary for that locale.
The “Perfect Day” itinerary
assists guests in making the most
of their stay
InterContinental’s Chief Concierge highlights the area hotspots and can be viewed on the go
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 39
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F L A S h O F G E n I U S
DELTA FACEBOOk FRIEnDS wAnT TO FLY TOO
Delta is turning its social communities into customers. Its
sleek “Ticket Counter” feature on Facebook works efficiently,
enabling users to search flights, book reservations, manage
their rewards miles, obtain flight status and check in for a
flight. The app, which requires no installation or application,
drives incremental traffic to Delta.com with call-outs to learn
more about travel advisories, in-flight amenities, and the
SkyMiles program. Code-share partner, Air France, followed
Delta’s lead, launching F-Commerce, resulting in a tripling of
its Facebook fan base.
Delta’s Facebook ticket counter drives incremental traffic to their site
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 40
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
SCOTT GALLOwAY
Professor of Marketing, NYU SternFounder, L2
Scott is a Clinical Associate Professor at the NYU
Stern School of Business where he teaches brand
strategy and luxury marketing and is the founder of
L2, a think tank for digital innovation. Scott is also
the founder of Firebrand Partners, an operational
activist firm that has invested more than $1 billion in
U.S. consumer and media companies. In 1997, he
founded Red Envelope, an Internet-based branded
consumer gift retailer (2007 revenues: $100 million).
In 1992, Scott started Prophet, a brand strategy
consultancy that employs more than 250 profession-
als in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Scott was
elected to the World Economic Forum’s “Global Lead-
ers of Tomorrow,” which recognizes 100 individuals
under the age of 40 “whose accomplishments have
had impact on a global level.”
Scott has served on the boards of directors of Eddie
Bauer (Nasdaq: EBHI), The New York Times Company
(NYSE: NYT), Gateway Computer, eco-America, and
UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. He received
a B.A. from UCLA and an M.B.A. from UC Berkeley.
MAUREEn MULLEn
L2
Maureen leads L2’s research and advisory group
and has benchmarked and/or developed digital and
social media initiatives for more than 300 prestige
brands. She began her career at Triage Consulting
Group in San Francisco. At Triage, she led several
managed care payment review and payment bench-
marking projects for hospitals, including UCLA Medi-
cal Center, UCSF, and HCA. She has gone on to lead
research and consulting efforts focused on digital
media, private banking, M&A, insurance industry risk
management, and renewable energy economics for
professional firms and academics. Maureen has a
B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University and
an M.B.A. from NYU Stern.
R. DAnIELLE BAILEY
L2
Danielle began her career at The Home Depot, Inc.,
where she led a variety of internal consulting engage-
ments focused on supply chain, merchandising,
and in-store process improvement. She went on to
manage the implementation of award-winning mobile
initiatives for several large media clients, including
The New York Times Co., NBC Universal, Disney/
ABC, Maxim magazine, and Zagat. Danielle has a
B.S. in systems engineering from the University of
Virginia and an M.B.A. from NYU Stern.
ChRISTInE PATTOn
Creative Director, L2
Christine is a brand and marketing consultant with
more than 15 years of experience creating brand
identities and marketing communications for aspi-
rational and luxury brands. She began her career at
Cosí, where she developed the brand and oversaw
its evolution from concept through growth to 100
restaurants. Since then she has provided creative
direction for a wide array of clients, including the
launch of Kidville and CosmoGIRL! magazine. Most
recently, she led creative services at ELLE during
the most successful years of the magazine’s history,
developing innovative integrated marketing programs
for advertisers. Christine received a B.A. in Econom-
ics and Journalism from the University of Connecticut
and an M.B.A from NYU Stern.
TAnUJ PARIkh
L2
Tanuj began his career as a project manager at the
Center for Economic Transformation at the New York
City Economic Development Corporation, where he
worked on a variety of initiatives designed to grow
the city’s innovation economy. Tanuj is also the co-
founder and director of UniThrive.org, a peer-to-peer
student lending social enterprise. In 2007, he was
a Kenya-based Fellow for Kiva.org, the world’s first
peer-to-peer lending marketplace for the poor. Tanuj
received his A.B. in government with a secondary in
economics from Harvard University.
CAnDICE MORTIMER
L2
Candice started her career in hotel group sales for
Marriott in White Plains, New York. She then moved
into logistical planning of special events in Miami and
later Lower Manhattan. Candice is a member of the
Professional Convention Management Association
and serves on the International Meetings task force.
She earned a B.S. in hospitality management from
Syracuse University and a will receive a master’s in
tourism administration from The George Washington
University in May.
T E A M : L 2
© L2 2011 L2ThinkTank.com 41
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DiGiTAL iQ Index®:
Travel
GARY LEOPOLD
President & CEO, ISM
Gary is the President and CEO at ISM, where he sets
the vision and serves as lead strategic advisor for all
clients. His thinking has influenced such brands and
destinations as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts,
Sheraton, Abercrombie & Kent, American Express,
Hong Kong, The Islands of the Bahamas, Barbados,
Emirates, Harley-Davidson, and more. Gary often lec-
tures at universities, while being regularly published
in leading travel industry publications.
Prior to co-founding ISM, Gary held the position of
Worldwide Corporate Director of Public Relations for
Sonesta International Hotels Corporation. Gary is also
the proud recipient of the Albert E. Koehl Lifetime
Achievement Award in travel advertising from the
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International
(HSMAI), an honor he shares with Michael Eisner and
Sir Richard Branson, among others. Gary is a past
President of HSMAI and serves on the board of the
HSMAI Foundation. He is also the current president of
the MAGNET global agency network.
BOB MInIhAn
Chief Creative Officer, ISM
As Executive Creative Director and Partner at ISM,
Bob is responsible for all ISM creative content. His
travel brand experience includes Four Seasons Ho-
tels and Resorts, Emirates airline, American Express
Travel Services, Best Western Hotels, Barbados,
Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club, Fodor’s, and
FareCompare. In his previous position as ECD
and Partner at Holland Mark in Boston, ADWEEK
magazine named the agency one of the top 10
creative agencies in the United States. His resume
also includes the title of Creative Director at Arnold
Worldwide and additional brand experience including
McDonald’s, T.J. Maxx, Titleist, Foot-Joy, Pinnacle,
Dreyfus Funds, Citizens Bank, and the Massachu-
setts Office of Travel and Tourism. His awards include
the One Show, Cannes, CA, Mercury, Athena, Kelley,
Obie, and Clio.
MELISSA DOwLER
Chief Marketing Officer, ISM
Melissa brings a wealth of digital and social media
experience to her position as Chief Marketing Officer
at ISM. She is a builder of teams, relationships, and
successful marketing campaigns with a career his-
tory that spans industries, media, and continents.
Melissa offers a dozen years of international strategic
marketing experience to ISM clients, having worked
in London at IMC.UK and Arc Integrated Market-
ing on global brands including Kellogg’s, Tesco,
Shell, and The Government of Jamaica Food &
Drink Exports. In addition to her extensive traditional
marketing background, Melissa has brought innova-
tive digital and social media strategy to brands such
as Reebok and The Drew Company (World Trade
Center, Ronald Reagan International Trade Center,
Seaport Hotels).
STUART LEVY
Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism & Hospitality Mangagement, The George Washington University School of Business
Stuart is an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Tourism and Hospitality Management at The George
Washington University School of Business, where
he teaches hospitality industry management and
internet marketing courses to undergraduate and
graduate students. Stuart’s current research focuses
on relationship marketing, mobile technology, and
corporate social responsibility in the hospitality
industry, and his work can be found in academic
publications including the Journal of Travel Research
and the Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing.
Before academia, Stuart worked as a consultant
for PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Hospital-
ity and Leisure Practice, and he has also served
in management positions for tour operations and
internet marketing firms. He received a B.S. in Hotel
Administration from Cornell University, an M.B.A
from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. from the
University of Calgary.
T E A M : I S M & GW S B
L2 is a think tank for digital innovation.
We are a membership organization that brings together thought leadership from academia and industry to drive digital marketing innovation.
RESEARCh
Digital IQ Index®: The definitive benchmark for online competence, Digital IQ Index® reports score
brands against peers on more than 350 quantitative and qualitative data points, diagnosing their
digital strengths and weaknesses.
EVEnTS
Forums: Big-picture thinking and game-changing innovations meet education and entertainment.
The largest gatherings of prestige executives in North America.
300+ attendees
Clinics: Executive education in a classroom setting with a balance of theory, tactics, and
case studies.
60 –120 attendees
WorkingLunches: Members-only lunches led by digital thought leaders and academics.
Topic immersion in a relaxed environment that encourages open discussion.
12–24 attendees
MBAMashups: Access and introduction to digital marketing talent from top MBA schools.
COnSuLTinG
AdvisoryServices: L2 works with brands to garner greater return on investment in digital initiatives.
Advisory work includes Brand Digital Roadmaps, Social Media Strategy, and Site Optimization
engagements.
MEMBERShiP
Formembershipinfoandinquiries: [email protected]
uPCOMinG EVEnTS
05.20.11 L2 Clinic Emerging Digital Media Platforms
While Facebook dominates the social media landscape,
a multitude of other digital platforms and new consumer
behaviors that surround them have emerged. In isolation,
these platforms may not have reached critical mass; but in
aggregate, they provide a fertile ground for brands to run
creative experiments, reach new consumers, and glean
insights into wholly new forms of digital self-expression and
consumer activity.
06 .24.11 L2 Clinic Mobile&Geolocal
Every year has been touted the “year of mobile.” However,
looking back at 2010, predictions and estimates on the
explosive growth of mobile devices, smart phones, and the
ubiquity of mobile web have all reigned true; we are now at
an inflection point.
07.22.11L2 Clinic Video&Celebrity
This half-day immersion explores successful strategies to drive
engagement and brand awareness through the use of online
video and traditional—and untraditional—celebrities.
uPCOMinG RESEARCh Digital IQ Index® Reports
Financial Services
Prestige Facebook Index
Magazines
China:Prestige100
Specialty Retail
Beauty
Fashion&LeatherGoods
Watches&Jewelry
GenYAffluents: Prestige Brand Ranking
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