Marriott International chose to use their sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens as a way to launch their new travel rewards program. Marriot Bonvoy covers all thirty of their brands making it the biggest travel rewards program in the world across multiple types of hotels, price points and traveller audiences. Outspent by title sponsors and local icons Cathay Pacific and HSBC, they faced an uphill battle for awareness and attention in Hong Kong’s biggest sporting event of the year, famous for partying and fancy dress. The objective was to use this event to show that Marriott Bonvoy creates the most unforgettable experiences, all over the world.

Our strategy of targeting lovers and haters of the 7s worked.

Objective 1: Create awareness

Awareness: 51% awareness for Bonvoy in HK

We created familiarity for Bonvoy:

32% understood that Bonvoy is “A new name for the loyalty program that replaces the Marriott Rewards/The Ritz-Carlton Rewards/Starwood Preferred Guest program”

On digital channels, we achieved: 19MM impressions

2.5 MM complete video views

1.3 MM engagements on Facebook

Objective 2: Get people enrolled into Bonvoy

33% increase in enrolment over the campaign period vs. 2018 campaign

Objective 3: Get people to use their reward points

23% increase in points redeemed over the campaign period vs. 2018 campaign

45% would “Utilize your reward points to redeem experiences aside from hotel stays”

44% would “Increase your stays with Marriott group of hotels in the next 12 months to earn more reward points”