Fostering Traveler Loyalty Through Genuine Moments
Best Western competes in a hotel category where it is hard to stand out on amenities or price. The brand wanted to move beyond promotions and become part of the travel experience itself, building the kind of emotional connection that keeps travelers coming back.
With Alli, PMG identified three traveler types from live behavior and research data: families, adventure seekers, and budget-minded retirees. Media mix modeling through Alli Brand Equity and competitive data from Alli Business Insights moved spend toward spring and underused channels for the "Life's a Trip" campaign.
The campaign reached 84% brand recall and delivered the highest-grossing month in the history of Best Western's performance program, with 16% more platform revenue on 7% less spend.
Travel is an adventure, a vibrant, chaotic, and beautiful mix of thrilling and tiring moments. It's full of imperfections and yet can be perfect. Best Western embraces it all and wants to position the brand as the bridge that connects people with unforgettable experiences and new memories, and dependably supports their adventures every step of the way. Our goal was to establish Best Western as the catalyst that helps travelers navigate the roller coaster of real life while making the most of every journey.
With limited tangible differentiation among competitors, Best Western recognized the importance of addressing travelers' desire for authentic experiences. To achieve this, the brand partnered with PMG to shift its messaging away from pure promotions, focusing instead on an emotionally resonant narrative that could set it apart and strengthen customer loyalty.
Connecting With the Right People, the Right Way
To address this challenge, Best Western, under the leadership of its Chief Marketing Officer, Joelle Park, launched the "Life's a Trip" campaign, with PMG spearheading integrated marketing efforts across communications strategy, creative ideation, production, and media execution. Our strategy and approach were clear: elevate the brand by forging emotional connections with travelers, positioning Best Western not just as a place to stay but as a catalyst for their ideal getaway, making it a meaningful part of their travel experience.
To make "Life's a Trip" feel personal, the team first had to know who Best Western's travelers really were, and it worked that out in Alli, PMG's operating system. Alli Audience Planner paired YouGov consumer profiling with behavioral signals from the platforms travelers use, so each persona described how people really travel, not just how they answer a survey. That analysis uncovered three key traveler archetypes: the family-focused traveler, favoring beach or amusement park destinations; the adventure traveler, prioritizing national parks with flexible accommodation preferences; and the budget-conscious retired traveler, traveling primarily to visit friends and family. These insights were critical in shaping our approach to target these distinct groups effectively.
Creating Stories That Drive Action
PMG executed the campaign with precision, focusing on both creative storytelling and strategic media deployment.
The campaign's creative centered around various video spots that told relatable, emotionally charged stories of real travel experiences. Each spot highlighted simple, yet meaningful moments, such as a family enjoying a day at the beach or a couple trying to capture the perfect photo of their dog. These stories were brought to life with a nostalgic yet modern rendition of The Band's classic song, "The Weight," which added depth and memorability to the campaign.
The messaging was clear and direct: "Life's a trip. Make the most of it at Best Western." This slogan encapsulated the brand's commitment to being more than just a hotel, but an integral part of the travel experience. And to aid brand recall, we took a cue from cinema and infused the Best Western logo into the opening and closing of the spots, helping our creative better stand out without detracting from the story.
Historical performance data, media mix modeling (MMM) insights through Alli Brand Equity, and competitive intelligence surfaced in Alli Business Insights all fed into a single media investment strategy. That view shifted spend toward a stronger focus on spring and previously underutilized channels, capitalizing on demand to drive greater impact than in previous years and to adapt to travelers' changing media and booking habits.
Additionally, the campaign employed a comprehensive yet targeted media mix to maximize reach and engagement, inclusive of broadcast, connected TV, online video, audio, social, display, and rich media placements. This multi-channel approach ensured that the campaign effectively reached its diverse target audiences. Particular emphasis was placed on video, with tailored assets for different platforms. Social media played a crucial role, particularly in engaging younger families and adventure seekers, while audio platforms were used to reach on-the-go listeners, roadtrippers, and commercial travelers.
While the primary focus was on storytelling, the campaign also seamlessly integrated promotional offers to drive immediate bookings. These offers were strategically highlighted across digital channels alongside dynamic ads that pulled in relevant local properties, encouraging direct bookings through Best Western's website, and enhancing overall campaign ROI.
Throughout the run, Alli connected media pacing, creative performance, and audience response into a single real-time view. Ask Alli let planners interrogate the data in plain English, so the team could shift investment toward the moments and channels driving both engagement and bookings.
Driving Engagement, Growth, and Lasting Connections
84% Brand Recall 16% Increase in Platform Revenue 10.3% Higher Brand Search Demand 78% Search Conversions Driven by CTV
The campaign delivered outstanding results, and its success was evident in several key areas:
Brand Perception Boost: The campaign achieved an impressive 84% brand recall, demonstrating its strong resonance with audiences and highlighting the effectiveness of our emotional storytelling.
iSpot Findings: The new video spots were tested in iSpot.tv, with ACE Metrics scores well above standard benchmarks for likeability and relevance, as well as for desire to stay at Best Western.
Record-Breaking Revenue Growth: The campaign delivered the highest-grossing month ever for Best Western's Performance Based Marketing (PBM) program. This record performance underscored the campaign's ability to drive significant business results. Additionally, the conversion campaigns generated a 16% increase in platform revenue, despite a 7% reduction in spend, showcasing the efficiency of the campaign's execution.
Google brand search demand for Best Western saw YOY growth each month during the campaign (Feb +5.6%, Mar +5.9%, Apr +10.3%, May +9.6%), and Best Western saw the largest growth across their core comp set when media investment scaled for the campaign.
Engagement Across Channels: The campaign significantly increased consumer engagement, with CTV ads driving a 77.65% boost in Google search conversions. This cross-channel influence highlights the effectiveness of the integrated approach in moving consumers through the funnel.
Social media platforms also saw remarkable engagement, with Snapchat achieving the highest click-through rate across all tactics and Spotify reporting an exceptional 95.3% audio completion rate.
Alli Brand Equity tied brand and business signals together in real time, giving the team continuous visibility into how emotional storytelling was moving both brand equity and revenue outcomes throughout the campaign. By focusing on authentic storytelling powered by real-time intelligence from Alli, Best Western and PMG not only attracted new customers but also deepened the brand's connection with existing ones. The campaign helped Best Western lay a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term brand loyalty and position the brand for continued success.
