Brand Positioning Initiatives, Marketing Platforms Win 15 Awards
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2017 … They are the “Oscars of the Travel Industry”, coveted trophies of gold, silver and bronze that showcase the creative talent of marketing teams around the globe. The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s prestigious Adrian Awards set the Gold Standard for travel marketing excellence. This year, BENCHMARK®, global hospitality company, swept the Adrian’s with 15 prizes for achievements in branding, web design, public relations, social media and destination marketing.
The honors spanned both corporate campaigns and marketing efforts from eight luxury properties representing the company’s major brands: Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection. Two of Benchmark’s corporate branding initiatives took top honors with Gold Awards of Excellence for Benchmark’s signature multidimensional Digital Marketing campaigns, Experiential & Transformational Marketing and Wanderlust Lifestyle Travel Guide. Benchmark is a pioneer in experiential and transformational travel, which has increasingly gained significant traction in the industry. Experiential travel is an extension of Benchmark’s original mission to inform, inspire, and provide dynamic, immersive and memorable travel experiences. Forged by Benchmark’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Ted Davis, The Wanderlust Lifestyle Travel Guide raises the bar with an innovative, content-rich, and broad-ranging print and digital platform that showcases Benchmark’s exciting and diverse properties and the singular destinations that enrich the travel experience for the leisure, business, meeting and special occasion traveler.
Ted Davis notes, “Travel is more than a great hotel, resort, spa or travel itinerary. Travel is immersing oneself into something new, different, life enriching, and in some circumstances, life affirming.” The Wanderlust Lifestyle and Travel platform inspires guests to make plans for an Hawaiian Talk Story at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's legendary North Shore, or a tour of Haunted Miami and stay at one of Benchmark’s properties in the area, or an exploration tour of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, or to simply enjoy the spectacular Pepsi Sculpture Garden near New York's Doral Arrowwood Resort.
At the property level, hotels took home gold, silver and bronze awards in a variety of categories. These ranged from website design and social media marketing to SEO optimization and highly effective social media influencer campaigns.
“Receiving an Adrian Award is always an honor, particularly since we are being recognized by our peers in the hospitality industry.” says Ted Davis. The company has consistently taken top honors in public relations, web design and marketing communications categories since 2001. However, Davis notes that “15 awards for both our corporate branding initiatives and an array of Adrian Awards for eight of our exceptional properties is a tribute to how progressively Benchmark has developed and implemented its ground-breaking marketing concepts and programming.”
In going for the gold, Benchmark successfully looked to the theme of this year’s Adrian Awards, “Be a Travel Marketing Super Hero.” The company’s adventurous strategy paid off. Said HSMAI President Robert A. Gilbert, “The winners have all taken bold and dynamic approaches that inspire and advance the hospitality industry as a whole.”
The 2017 HSMAI's Adrian Award recipients will be formally recognized at a Dinner and Gala on February 20, 2018, in New York City.
Benchmark's 2017 Adrian Awards Include
Entry Title: Experiential & Transformational Marketing Campaign Integrated Marketing Campaign Award: Gold
Entry Title: Wanderlust Lifestyle Travel Guide Integrated Digital Consumer Marketing Campaign Award: Gold
Entry Title: The Inn at Virginia Tech Website Development Award: Gold Marketing Partner, Interactive Sites, Inc.
Entry Title: Garden of the Gods Collection- Website UX – Driving Incremental Conversions Website User Experience Award: Gold Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa Website Development Award: Silver Marketing Partner, Interactive Sites, Inc.
Entry Title: Benchmark Global – Cyber Tuesday Integrated B2C Marketing Award: Silver Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando – Social Media Opening Support Social Media Campaign Award: Silver Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Cheyenne Mountain Resort – An Extraordinary Escape from The Ordinary Mobile Campaign Award: Silver Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Copley Square Hotel Website Development Award: Silver Marketing Partner, Interactive Sites, Inc.
Entry Title: Florida/Caribbean Region Social Media Influencer Campaign Public Relations Award: Bronze
Entry Title: Benchmark Holiday eGift Card Sweepstakes Content / Sweepstakes Award: Bronze Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Costa d'Este Beach Resort & Spa SEO Campaign Search Marketing Strategy Award: Bronze Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Hotel Contessa – Define Your Destination Integrated Marketing Campaign Award: Bronze Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Garden of the Gods Collection – Membership Sales Drive Geo-Targeted Campaign Award: Bronze Marketing Partner, Screen Pilot
Entry Title: Snow King Hotel Website Development Award: Bronze Marketing Partner, Interactive Sites, Inc.
