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Consumers How New Guest Room Technology Works |
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Washington, D.C. � March 28, 2007 � Imagine having the power to turn your guest room into your own personal digital command center for work and relaxation? At Marriott Hotels & Resorts, it will be as easy as check-in and plug-in to a whole new level of guest room technology, with 32-inch LCD high-definition televisions and the industry�s only digital plug-in panel. To showcase the pioneering technology engineered for the tech-savvy traveler, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, a Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) brand, today launched an innovative advertising campaign combining live-action and computer-generated images. The LCD high-definition television and plug-in panel will enable guests, who frequently travel with a host of digital devices, to:
 To
highlight these features, Marriott Hotels & Resorts developed a high
impact advertising campaign. It includes three 15-second television
spots that portray different ways guests can use the new technology to
work, relax, or do both, while also depicting how the guest room can adapt
to the technology needs of guests. The television ads, airport dioramas
and spectaculars, also part of the campaign, were created by mcgarrybowen.
The online advertisements and web site, www.plugintomarriott.com, were
developed by T3.
�Consumers asked us to show how the innovative guest room technology works and how it works for them,� said Deborah Fell, senior vice president, marketing strategy and integration, Marriott International. �We are combining live action and computer-generated animation to demonstrate this. We are also leveraging the power of the Internet giving consumers hands-on, detailed knowledge and letting them explore the possible uses the technology offers them.� The television spots will air on cable networks, including ESPN, CNN, Fox and the Discovery Channel, and can also be seen on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=NimNgcxoEDk. Out-of-home ads will appear at seven major airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta; O�Hare International Airport in Chicago; and Los Angeles International Airport. Online advertising will appear on numerous web sites, including Forbes.com and MSNBC.com. The integrated campaign is designed to pique the curiosity of travelers and encourage them to visit www.plugintomarriott.com, where they can learn about the features of the high-definition LCD televisions and plug-in panel, and interact virtually with the technology. In addition, the web site includes a current list of hotels that offer the new guest room technology. The most recent addition is the San Francisco Marriott. The company expects to have up to 25 percent of its connectivity panels installed at Marriott Hotels & Resorts guest rooms in the U.S. and Canada by the end of this year and installed in all guest rooms in those countries by the end of 2009. This industry-leading technology is the latest enhancement from Marriott Hotels & Resorts, following the introduction of Revive® bedding. Together, they are signature elements of the guest room that conforms to the needs of business and leisure travelers, whether for work, rest or play. The guest room technology platform is also being installed at the JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts brands in the U.S. and Canada. Full deployment for those brands is also expected by the end of 2009. MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and had approximately 151,000 employees at 2006 year-end. It is ranked as the lodging industry�s most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE®. The company is also a 2006 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partner. In fiscal year 2006, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $12.2 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com. |
| Contact:
John Wolf
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