Bethesda, Md.–On the heels of its reimagined global design strategy, Renaissance Hotels, part of Marriott International, this week announced its continued brand evolution with a new “Discover This Way” marketing campaign that reinforces the brand’s promise of delivering the unexpected. To celebrate, Renaissance Hotels will help guests uncover the soul of neighborhoods around the world with exclusive experiences and perks from the brand’s This Way partners on the 8th annual Global Day of Discovery taking place Thursday, May 16. The brand will also begin to introduce a new visual identity for the first time in nearly eight years, which will reflect what Renaissance Hotels aims to offer today: a sense of clever theatricality and an open invitation to experience something a little unexpected during guests’ travels.
This year’s annual Global Day of Discovery celebration, which takes place at 160 hotels in more than 35 countries, will spotlight the Renaissance Hotel Navigator, who will show guests how to discover destinations like a local by handpicking discoveries that cannot be found in a guidebook.
“We have been on a mission to continue to evolve what Renaissance Hotels offers today, and this year’s Global Day of Discovery and new ‘Discover This Way’ campaign officially marks a new era for the brand,” said George Fleck, vice president of global brand marketing and management, Renaissance Hotels. “Today’s travelers want to feel like they’ve experienced the DNA of the neighborhood in the destination they are visiting and make the most of their trip. With help from our This Way neighborhood partners, we are committed to giving travelers something a little bit unexpected every step along their journey.”
Renaissance Hotels’ New Marketing Campaign
Developed and produced by creative agency Venables Bell + Partners in collaboration with the Renaissance Hotels’ marketing team and based on consumer insights, the brand’s new “Discover This Way” campaign was inspired by the idea that every trip can be a tale—from the brand’s approach to design to its take on cocktails.
Directed by Jojo Zunke and tuned to Judith Hill’s yet-to-be-released single, “Upside,” which will premiere in this campaign, the 60-second hero film centers on a hotel guest as he follows a path plotted by the Navigator using footprints, taking him on a journey through Renaissance’s neighborhoods around the world. The guest follows the sequence of footsteps—inspired by guided steps in a local dance class—discovering the neighborhood through playful, unexpected twists and turns.
Led by the hero film that will premiere during Global Day of Discovery, shorter executions that showcase each of the brand’s pillars of evenings, theatrical design, and neighborhood will roll out across a variety of platforms around the globe.
Renaissance Hotel Navigators and Neighborhood Partners
Beginning on Global Day of Discovery and continuing regularly thereafter, Renaissance Hotels across the globe will collaborate with a diverse group of local businesses and notable personalities who embody the soul of the neighborhood to serve as This Way partners. Each This Way partner will help give travelers a glimpse into Renaissance Hotels’ storied neighborhoods, highlighting the style, eats, and beats of the destinations. Upon check-in, guests will be given a Navigator map leading travelers to hidden gems, along with a token for travelers to present to these local establishments to access exclusive perks.
To punctuate the new “Discover This Way” campaign and eighth annual Global Day of Discovery, Renaissance Hotels will shine a light on New York City, where the brand is set to expand its footprint with openings in Chelsea in Fall 2019, as well as Flushing and Harlem in 2020. Renaissance New York Chelsea South Hotel, a new build on the former Antiques Garage Flea Market site, will give a wink-and-nod to the neighboring floral district, while Renaissance Flushing LaGuardia Airport will be the brand’s first hotel in Queens and will underscore the brand’s commitment to re-imagining the airport hotel experience.
Renaissance Harlem Hotel will reimagine the Loew’s Victoria Theater, which was at the center of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s. Some of Renaissance Hotels’ future neighbors in Harlem will help give travelers a glimpse into this neighborhood, highlighting its underground style, eats and beats.
Renaissance Continues with a New Visual Identity
On the heels of Renaissance Hotels’ continued global design evolution, the brand is introducing a new visual identity for the first time in nearly eight years. Inspired by the new “Discover This Way” campaign and on-property experiences, the new visual identity—which will include a refreshed color palette, photography, and font type—will begin to roll out in-room and through all of the brand’s digital channels starting in June.
