Integrated Marketing Communications For Hotels And Resorts

Incorporating the Use of Social Media

Discuss about the Integrated Marketing Communications for Hotels and Resorts.

The importance of an Integrated Marketing Communication plan in an organization cannot be overemphasized. It is one of the significant business strategies employed by the business organizations of the modern world, to ensure that the message of an organization’s brand is being properly conveyed to the respective stakeholders. The Mermaid chain of Hotels and Resorts, is expanding in different exotic locations, such as Indonesia, and hence it is absolutely important to communicate the brand image of the organization in a highly effective way, so that can conduct stable and successful business in the South East Asian region (Yeshin, 2012).

The Mermaid Chain of Hotels and Resorts while expanding its business in the South East Asian region, must under no circumstance underrate the importance of social media. Undoubtedly, the organization has its own page on the social media tools, such as Facebook and Instagram, yet in order to establish its relation with the Indonesian consumers, it is important to adopt an innovative social media strategy that best suits the Indonesian consumers. Reports suggest that Facebook pre-dominates the social media world in Indonesia, and hence adopting the same for the purpose of introducing and promoting the brand will be more effective (Percy, 2014).

Statistical Data Showing the Use of Social Sites in Indonesia

Source: (Szromnik, 2016)

The organization will not merely create a Facebook page for the consumers, but will need to add attractive pictures of the site of the resort, its natural environment and natural setting, highlighting the cool and pleasant ambience, and the “close to nature” scenery. The Mermaid group of Hotels and Resorts should not simply post the advertisements, but must offer a video that tells a compelling story of the enjoyment of visiting the resort. It is to be noted that Indonesia is located in Asia, and consequently like any other Asian country, its inhabitants believe more in collectivism rather than individualism. Hence, the videos shared on Facebook will reflect the joyous adventure and blissful outing of a family, or a group of friends, and not just an adventurous wanderer. Connecting with a foreign culture is necessary if the organization is willing to connect with the people of a foreign country. Besides, it is also important to make the potential consumers of a new market feel valued, so that they can easily form a valuable relation with a foreign brand. Hence, the organization will be offering abundant number of travelling tips to the Facebook users, and the demographic option on Facebook will make it easier for the organization to capture the attention of the users interested in travelling. The time frame required for this strategy is two months.

Incorporating the Use of Traditional Media

The advantage of this strategy is that it will help in increasing the recognition and brand awareness of the organization in a foreign land, by drawing the attention of the relevant consumer base.

The only disadvantage of this strategy is that the organization must invest sufficient time on the social sites, or else unchecked negative feedback may tarnish the reputation of the organization (Lusch&Vargo, 2014).

With the widespread use of social media, the importance of traditional form of media should not be understated. Traditional media coverage is as important as social media coverage for the organization. A local paper or a popular magazine of Indonesia should cover the travel story or the description of the unique facilities of the resort, so that it can reach out to a greater number of people. Creating a successful image or a new logo in a foreign market is highly important. Considering this fact, Mermaid group of Hotels and Resorts will not only be required to print write ups to allure the travellers, but must also add attractive images of a man basking in the sun, or a woman lying on the pristine, white beaches. The whole idea is to entice the potential consumers, by enhancing their image of the resort, and its natural surroundings. The time frame for this strategy id 1 week.

The advantage of this traditional media strategy is that it can increase the awareness of the public about the organization against a highly affordable cost. In addition, it also offers greater flexibility than any other kind of advertising medium.

The disadvantage of the use of traditional media, may not be reaching a wide mass of public, especially when the brand is a foreign one (Armstrong et al., 2014).  

While promoting a product via traditional or digital media channels may not instantly capture the attention of the consumers, resorting to the PR strategy can help in the same. The PR strategy clearly shows that the organization is not paying for the promotion of its products, and thus helps a new, foreign organization like Mermaid win the credibility of the consumers in an easier way. PR strategy in the form of a clever and critical communication method, can easily be used to communicate the unique features of the service offered (Grunig, 2013).

Five Areas of PR Strategy to be employed by Mermaid Group

Source: (Created by the author)

As the above figure states, the organization can employ the PR strategy with the help of frequent press releases, or by publicizing about the business success story of the Mermaid group, by holding interviews of the corporate executives of the resorts. This strategy can be highly effective, but attention has to be paid that the right areas are being exposed to the media. Hence, much supervision over the issues of media coverage is required. The time frame for this strategy is 2 weeks.

Public Relations (PR) Strategy

The main advantage of the PR strategy is that the recognition earned through it is long lasting.

The disadvantage of the PR strategy is that it can prove to be highly expensive if the organization hires a wrong firm.

Hiring the local celebrities, belonging to the film industry, or to the sports field can help in the effective promotion of the brand, and its wider acceptability in a foreign market. Getting the brand represented by an Indonesian celebrity can boost the brand awareness of the organization in Indonesia. Further, popular cartoon characters of Indonesia, such as Entong and Jarwo, can be shown on television channels promoting the service of the resorts, as it will help in attracting the attention of the kids, who can consequently convince the parents in visiting the resort. The time frame for celebrity marketing strategy is 1 month.

The advantage of the strategy is that it can help in easily persuading the consumers about the good quality of the service offered by the organization.

The only disadvantage is that this is an expensive strategy as compared to the others (Hackley&Hackley, 2015)

In order to develop the brand image in a foreign country, the organization must be able to adopt suitable logos that can easily appeal to the consumers. A logo of a brand carries the meaning and purpose of the organization, and a logo in one country should preferably be different from another. Indonesia, being an Asian country, has a rich cultural heritage, and hence it would be discreet to use an image of a unique art form or a traditional symbol as the logo of the Mermaid group. Further, the use of a tagline that reinforces the feeling of love and togetherness, such as “Explore the Land with your loved Ones”, can be an effective one in promoting the product (Shahrokh&Dadvand 2014). The timeframe for developing the brand logo is 2 weeks.

The advantage of the brand development through logos and taglines, is that it helps in brand recognition of an organization in an effective way. Well-conceived taglines and well-designed logos are sure to catch consumer attention.

The disadvantage is that in case the logo or the tagline is not chosen wisely and discreetly, it can easily lead the consumers establish unfavorable connections alluding to something outside business.

Conclusion:

Integrated Marketing Communication, when employed in an effective way, it can easily yield great benefit for an organization, especially if it is conducting business in a foreign land. By adopting the strategies discussed above, and incorporating the same in the Integrated Marketing Communication plan, the organization will be able to conduct successful business in the South East Asian region as well.

Reference List:

Armstrong, G., Adam, S., Denize, S., &Kotler, P. (2014). Principles of marketing.Pearson Australia.

Grunig, J. E. (2013). Excellence in public relations and communication management.Routledge.

Hackley, C., &Hackley, R. A. (2015).Marketing and the cultural production of celebrity in the era of media convergence. Journal of marketing management, 31(5-6), 461-477.

Lusch, R. F., &Vargo, S. L. (2014). The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. Routledge.

Percy, L. (2014). Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge.

Shahrokh, Z. D., &Dadvand, A. (2014). Investigating the Relatiobship Between Brand Development and Company Image;(Case Study: Nives Products). Kuwait Chapter of the Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 3(10), 23

Szromnik, A. (2016). City Placement: a New Element in the Strategy of Integrated Marketing Communication of Cities. Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, 24(1), 113-132.

Yeshin, T. (2012). Integrated marketing communications.Routledge.