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Report; Keyword Bidding, Pop Ups, Pop Unders, Domain Name Piracy |
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MCLEAN, VA (Jan. 19, 2004) � The first-ever Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Hotel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference held recently in Miami exceeded expectations in its objective to deliver an intensive, information-rich program of the important and timely issues impacting hotel Internet marketing. Debating hot topics, such as keyword bidding and pop ups and pop unders, was an impressive line-up of panelists representing executives at major hotel brands, leading search engines and third party intermediaries as well as keynote speakers addressing the consumer perspective, legal issues and brand protection. �The worldwide web and Internet marketing is undoubtedly the hottest topic that should be top of mind for all engaged in the sales and marketing process,� says Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. �What this debut conference delivered was a wealth of information, advice and lively debate about Internet-related issues that have a huge impact on the way hotel products are marketed, distributed and sold.� �As the mission of the HSMAI Hotel Internet Marketing Committee is to increase awareness of issues, opportunities and trends, as well as develop and recommend standards and ethical guidelines as it relates to hotel Internet marketing, we have already seen positive reactions from search engine companies as well as some of the Internet merchant models. This is a first step in the right direction to leverage the Internet as an effective marketing medium for the hospitality industry,� says Jens Thraenhart, director of Internet strategy at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and global chair of the HSMAI Hotel Internet Marketing Committee. The following are highlights from the day�s agenda: In the opening keynote, Brian Murray, author and vice president of client services, Cyveillance, addressed: �Defending the Brand: Aggressive Strategies for Protecting Your Brand in the Online Arena.� Key points:
ISSUE 1: Trademark Protection To address �Trademark Protection and How it Relates to Consumer Perception� Peter Greenberg, The Travel Channel and NBC Today Show travel editor, talked about full disclosure, truth in advertising and truth in pricing. Greenberg said the challenge in the hotel industry is not to follow the lead of the airlines, which have become a commodity and therefore consumers don�t value the brand. Airlines have lost control of their CRM, and below a certain price point, travelers are not interested in the experience but only care about going from point A to B. It�s all about the math, says Greenberg, and while initially consumers are price driven, it will ultimately be about credibility. He believes websites should be free of pop ups, keyword diversions, or other placements or links for ads. If you want to sell a commodity all you need is price. It�s not just about selling, but returning. If you deliver on the promise, and do the math, consumers will respond, notes Greenberg. In a related panel on �Trademark Protection & Keyword Bidding on Search Engines,� participants included: Gino Giovanelli, vice president, e-Business solutions, Carlson Companies; Michael Menis, director, global marketing services, InterContinental Hotels Group; Don Smith, vice president of sales, Worldres; Scott Hyden, general manager, Travelweb.com; Jeff Johnson, search media director, iCrossing; John Moran vice president of operations, FindWhat.com. Panel observations, issues and comments:
Andrew Sherry, USA Today.com offered �A Consumers View on Pop Up and Pop Under Marketing.� Recognizing first-off that it is �the most annoying form of advertising� according to the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), he notes that there is a narrow area where users will tolerate it and it can be effective. Though if you step beyond those boundaries there can be a backlash. Sherry says that consumers want to feel in control of what they want, when they want it, particularly in their personal space results, and the intrusion sparks a negative emotional reaction. However, he notes there are times when something �pops� that is useful and won�t produce the same consumer reaction. It�s about finding the right zone, and for USA Today it is to only serve pop unders, and to limit that to two per session. �If travel advertising is presented in the right manner, it can be valuable content to the consumer,� says Sherry. �Pop ups may be effective and will add value when the information is relevant and valuable without being too obtrusive, particularly if it comes when you would be looking for it.� In the discussion on �Pop Up and Pop Under Marketing,� panelists included: Michael B. Wylie, vice president eCommerce, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Jens Thraenhart, director of Internet Strategy, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; Pete Haggerty, director of sales, Claria Corporation (formerly Gator); Jacques Hart, Travelzoo; Emily Schubert, director, search and content operations, Travelocity. Panel observations, issues and comments:
The Anti-Cybersquatting Piracy Act prevents a party from registering in bad faith a domain name which is identical or confusingly similar to an established trademark. To protect domain names, Ripin recommends registering all business and domain names used with the Patent and Trademark Office, across as many top level domains as possible (.com, .net and .info, etc.) and those doing business abroad should register in appropriate foreign countries. Also, register slogans and variations of the hotel�s name as well as natural misspellings and grammatical alternatives to deter typosquatters. Also, use a track and monitor system to see if your names have been registered by others. If someone has, the action depends on the circumstances. First see if you can strike a deal with the domain name owner or offer paying some money to the owner (the obvious disadvantage is it puts you in a position of �rewarding� a cybersquatter which may set a bad precedent). Failing that, send a cease-and-desist letter. If that is ignored, there are two options for a legal challenge. First, bring a lawsuit alleging violations of the Anti-Cybersquatting Piracy Act and the other trademark infringement statutes, or take the quick and inexpensive approach with a specialized type of arbitration proceeding specifically designed to deal with domain name piracy disputes � file a complaint under 10 pages, pay a filing fee of approximately $1,500 per domain name, and the other side then has 20 days to file an answer and you have the option of filing a reply within five days thereafter. The arbitrator issues his ruling two weeks later and, if you win, the domain name is transferred to you within 10 days of the decision. Sponsors of the HSMAI Hotel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference are Hotelrooms.com, a major web based search engine; VFM Interactive, a leading provider of interactive content solutions for the lodging and travel industry and RealMagnet, a prominent email, fax, survey company. Attendees represented eight countries with participants from the U.S., Canada, Australia, England, Japan, Mexico, the Bahamas and Spain. Earlier in the year, Internet marketing specialists from leading hotel companies united under the auspices of HSMAI to form a committee dedicated to the most pressing and topical issues facing the industry as it relates to Internet marketing. Prior to the Strategy Conference, which was organized by its Advisory Board and HSMAI, the committee held monthly phone forums to debate and address pertinent issues. Resources for Hotel Internet Marketing professionals can be found at the group�s website: www.hotelinternetmarketing.org. The committee�s Advisory Board members for the Americas are: Jens Thraenhart (global chairman), director of Internet strategy, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; Michael B. Wylie, vice president e-Commerce, Wyndham International (chair, Americas); Gino Giovannelli, vice president, e-Business strategy, Carlson Companies; Michael Davis, director of interactive strategy and development, Ian Schrager Hotels; Michael Hayward, director, marketing planning and automation, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Michael Menis, director of global marketing services, InterContinental Hotels Corporation: James Zito, manager, interactive marketing and development, Affinia Hospitality; and Bill Carroll, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor, School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University. The committee is also currently organizing an advisory board for Europe/Middle East, which will be headed by Euan Mitchell, director of e-Commerce, Thistle Hotels, and Peter O�Connor Ph.D, associate professor, IMHI/Cornell. In 2004, HSMAI will step up its interest in the strategic solutions business by holding five Strategy Conferences, each serving unique markets and industries within travel and hospitality. They include: Airline-Hotel Contracting (February 19-21 in Miami), Hotel Internet Marketing (April 21 in New York in conjunction with Travel Commerce Expo; May 12 in London in conjunction with HEDNA and December 10 in Los Angeles in conjunction with HEDNA); Revenue Management (June 21 in Dallas in conjunction with HITEC); Industry Outlook Strategy Conference in partnership with NYU (September 23 in New York). HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality and travel industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, while operating as a leading voice for both hospitality and sales and marketing management disciplines. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprised of nearly 7,000 members from 35 countries and 60 chapters worldwide. |
Contact:
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300 McLean, VA 22102 phone (703) 610-9024 www.hsmai.org |