Hyatt set out to craft a campaign that was not only honest, authentic and true to the brand, but also a resonant, powerful piece at a time when the world really needs it. To bring this to life, the video needed a musical accompaniment that was more than just a song, but rather a message of understanding and humanity to the world, particularly given the current climate. And what better song to fill this role than Burt Bacharach’s timeless hit, “What the World Needs Now is Love,” adapted by Grammy-nominated artist Andra Day?

The “For A World of Understanding” creative capitalizes on the idea that small actions can help bridge any divide. The spot is set to a contemporized version of Burt Bacharach’s timeless hit, “What the World Needs Now is Love,” and sung by Grammy nominee, Andra Day. The spot features relatable scenes shot in countries around the world, with people in unfamiliar, somewhat stressful surroundings.  Along with diversity of religion, geographies, age and race, we see a beautiful, common theme running throughout -- the power of understanding. It focuses on the simple belief that a little understanding goes a long way. It's the small things that can have an amazing impact. Things everyone is capable of - a knowing glance, a smile, an outstretched helpful hand. It’s this level of understanding that can transcend differences in race, language and culture.

The travel industry is in the midst of major disruption. Brands that are winning are both empowering consumers and reflecting their values. Hyatt’s awareness has traditionally been high relative to the size of their portfolio, but in order to gain traction and continue growing, they needed to shift perception in the marketplace — from just a “nice hotel brand” to an approachable, modern, high-end lifestyle brand. Hence the genesis of a new global brand campaign. The creative needed to make an emotional connection with consumers, and communicate something more meaningful about the Hyatt brand than just the beautiful properties in their portfolio. Sounds easy enough. But as a relatively smaller player in the category, they were outspent by bigger chains as much as four to one. The creative needed to draw on a level of cultural currency that would help the brand punch above their weight to break through.