Island Inspired Flavors -Incentive Promotion
Written By: Adam Billings
Interstate Hotels and Resorts teamed up with Crown Imports, Boston Beer and Beam Global in the summer of 2008 to pair summer quenching beverages with tasty bites and house-made desserts.
Cruzan Rum cocktails and Sauza Margaritas were complemented with Corona Extra, Corona Light, and Sam Adams Summer Ale. Included in the package of great recipes was all the leadership and collateral needed to execute a successful promotion.
Don Stanczak and his team held a conference call with the 28 participating hotels to ensure the promotion details were communicated and the execution went smoothly. Each hotel received server buttons for the front desk agents, bartenders and wait staff to subtly promote Island Inspired Flavors. Several posters and a banner were placed in the lobby, concierge station and club level to increase traffic and awareness. To complete the package and get optimal saturation, guest room promo pieces and bar/lounge menu cards were printed. The success of the program was based on the percentage of increased depletions of partner brands by each hotel throughout the promotion dates. In order to strengthen Island Inspired Flavors each of the partners developed creative ideas to offer incentives for the winning bar management and wait staff.
Lori Welsh, with Crown Imports, provided Corona coolers and Corona gift certificates for each of the winning hotels. Meghan Uliana, with Boston Beer, entertained several lucky winners at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado, and Donna Frederick, with Beam Global, provided inscribed iPod Touches with pre-loaded educational videos for training on-the-go. Successful promotions are led by proactive partners who understand their client’s needs and provide the necessary resources to accomplish their objectives.