Guysheena GibsonLena Foote

Archer HuangTerry Smith

IMC 480 - Spring 2016

"Because We All Love Lucy, Right?"

Executive Summary

● Travellers document their vacations via Social Media○ (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat)

● Want guests to experience a world-class lodging and dining experience at an affordable price.

● Exclusivity○ Virgin Hotels Chicago - 1st and only thus far

● Capitalize on the chic and fashionable ambiance that makes guests feel like they are not working, but right at home.

○ Treat guests like close friends, not just visitors○ Customized experience

Market Analysis

● Current customers include Millennials and business travelers.

● Potential customers include business and leisure travelers and local residents

who are not familiar with the hotel or nightlife that Virgin Hotels Chicago has

to offer.

Competition Analysis

● Virgin Hotels Chicago considers other local boutique hotels and big chain

hotels in the River North district to be their primary competition.

● Virgin Hotels Chicago also considers local River North bars, clubs and

restaurants to be their secondary competitors.

SWOTStrengths

● Strength of the Virgin brand name.● Flexibility in fees, snacks, and check-in/out

times, no added fees.● “Female” target-driven.● Exclusive to Chicago can spark curiosity for future

guests, party-planners, happy-hour goers.

Weaknesses

● Too niche, target audience not broad enough.● Virgin is not known for their hotels, so it has yet

to establish themselves in the hospitality business, regardless of their brand equity in the travel industry.

● Brand is known, and so grand that it may make target audience intimidated by an assumed expense.

Opportunities● Capitalize on lifestyle/boutique-like hotels in

Chicago.● Establishing a social media presence and

personality.● Food and Beverage entities having their own

identities.● Patented Bed, “Lucy” mobile app.

Threats ● Over-saturation of hotels in Chicago.● Perception of Chicago being a violent city turning

off future guests.● Other boutique hotels.● Possible tax on hotels in Chicago.

Target Audience Demographics● Primary - Young Professionals (Millennials)

○ 24-35 years old

○ College-educated

○ Single; No kids

○ Disposable Income

● Secondary - “Seasoned/Empty-Nesters”

○ 41-50 years old

○ Established in their careers

○ Kids have moved out or in college

○ Disposable Income

Molly Hayward, 26

● Single

● No children

● Marketing Assistant

● Loves to take weekend trips

● Recent MBA grad

● “City Girl”

James McHall, 28

● Law Degree - U of Chicago

● Shy Guy

● No Social Media Accounts

● Social Pressure from family and friends

Jaslene Rodriguez, 30

● Event Planner

● 1st-generation college grad

● Hails from Austin, TX

● Fell in Love with Chicago

● Travels for her job

● Social Media Fanatic with a large following

● Loves to “Check-In”

Dominic Choi, 35

● Store Manager of Apple Store

● Married with 5-year-old son

● Ideal Manager

● Freelance DJ

● Passionate about Music

Mark and Michelle SilversteinAges: 47 and 45

● Both HS English Teachers● Twin daughters - in graduate school ● Suburban living, but moving to West Loop● “Empty-Nesters”● New to City Life

Target Insights● Passionate about Travelling

o “YOLO” (You Only Live Once)

o “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out)

66% of Millennials - Travel huge aspect of their lives (PhoCusWright)

● Technology Rules Social Interactions

o Competing with other people’s “Highlight Reel”

o Give their followers a peek into their social lives

● Exclusivity

o “Checking-in”/Posting pictures via Social Media

● Passionate about Connecting with Like-Minded People

Living Life Through Lived, But Documented, Experiences

Marketing Communication Objectives1. Increase the number of people that use the Lucy application by 50%2. Make Cerise and The Commons Club the preferred spots for nightlife among

30% of adults 21-30 year olds over the next year. 3. Increase the amount of traffic to Miss Ricky’s by 40% over the next six

months.4. Establish a social media presence and personality on Facebook, Twitter, and

Instagram. a. This would require monitoring social media pages on a regular basis and

using tools such as Alexa and Keynote to measure the increase in social media traffic.

30% growth of likes on Facebook(10,465 -> 13,465)50% growth of followers on Twitter (5,021 -> 7,500)30% growth of followers on Instagram(9118 -> 12,000).

Marketing Strategies

Promote Virgin Hotels Chicago’s brand awareness with the public transportation

Attract many of the tourist groups that visit Chicago.

Marketing Strategies

Create a nightlife experience that will appeal to Millennials by hosting events.

Promote the Lucy app and get more visitors to download the app during their stay at the hotel.

Marketing Strategies

Create a stronger social media presence for the Virgin Hotels Chicago.

Key Selling Idea “The Only Virgin You Will Ever Need”

● Create the Ultimate “Virgin” Experience for Guests through Technology

o Making the “Lucy” app like an actual social network.

“Lucy and Ricky are at The Virgin Hotels Chicago...but it’s not what you think!”

o Creating discourse around the Virgin Hotels Chicago - “Have you Cerised?” Create a contest

for visitors to take pictures of themselves “#Cerising” and share on social media accounts

with the possible hashtag, “#HowWeCeriseInChicago, #ChicagosVirgin, #HaveYouMetLucy

● Simply Stylish ● Neutral Slogan ● “Give it a try” ● Open thinking

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCES THINK?

Media

Online Outdoor Radio Events

Search Engine Optimization

Billboards WGCI, V103, Kiss FM, B96

2017 NFL Draft

Web Banners CTA Bus/Train

Pandora Chicago Black Women’s Expo

Cost Per ClickTaxi Cabs

Spotify Public Relations

Social Media,Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat YouTubeBloggers

Live Virgin Hotels signature windy city bull on Michigan ave.

IheartRadio The Chicago Architecture Tour

Social Media Post Instagram will be used as a medium of visionary for the Virgin Hotels Chicago Brand. The tone of voice that will be used will be consistent with the other social media outlets, but Instagram will have a slight twist; it will be more focused on challenging our followers to come visit the edgy stylish hotel.

SnapChat only gives you 15 seconds to broadcast, we will have our own IATA location for the Virgin Hotel Chicago. snap. This will make the Virgin Brand viable on this medium.

Twitter,establishing a tone of voice of edgy, but still appropriate, trying to drive customers into the hotel and the Cerise rooftop. Twitter will be utilized to connect with the Millennials and business travelers.

Media Calendar

Media Calendar

Campaign Budget

Campaign Budget

Channel Budget

Online $9,000

Outdoor $3,200

Radio $5,768

Events $8,000

Conclusion

● Cerise will be the premier location for Chicago’s nightlife in the River North area

● The Virgin Hotels Chicago presence on social will be impeccable and will have an established tone and voice across all platforms.

● These campaign strategies will increase the visitors here at the Virgin hotels also increase the the Lucy app downloads by 15%

“Remember Everyone Loves Lucy”

Questions????

Thank You!!!