Peter Lindgren/Partner And Creative Director/Prime
Ebba Hultengren/Creative/Prime
The Campaign
In recent years, Scandic has made the biggest hotel renovation in Swedish history. Despite these efforts, many still see Scandic as a bit boring, with outdated rooms. Prime's mission was to develop an idea that would make more people become aware of the "New" Scandic and attract new audiences to the hotels. It was also to get new media target groups to cover the new innovations and interior changes. Together with Scandic, Prime developed a brand new hotel offering - Scandic To Go. Scandic To Go is the world's first mobile hotel room which guests can book their own dream location. The hotel room is fully equipped with all the comforts and modern furnishings as the newly renovated Scandic Hotels. With Scandic To Go as a communication engine we ran an integrated activation in both digital and traditional channels.
Scandic To Go was a success. Since its launch, the two hotel rooms has been fully booked and inquiries have come from all over Scandinavia. This initiative resulted in a huge media impact - over 100 clips from 10 different countries where as many in design and interior design medias. Only in Sweden, the campaign had a range of about 11,570,000 people and a media value of 10.4 million SEK. During the campaign period the number of online booked hotel nights was up 20 percent compared to the same period the previous year – an increase due to gained market share rather than a growing market.
The Brief
Marketing reports about guests view of Scandic as "for all", "functional,“ and "safe,“ as well as the need of exposure; especially during the summer time were reasons for the campaign. In a time where guests are presented with more options than they can choose from, Scandic decided to create something unique and tailored for their guests. The goal was also to help guests and opinion makers get a modernized view of Scandic and thereby attract new guests, new medias within design and interior design as well as increase the number of bookings and interactions in social medias.
Results
Scandic To Go was success that created strong commitment among both opinion makers, desired medias and guests. It has been fully booked since its launch, and inquiries have come from visitors from all over Scandinavia. It has surpassed all previous records on Scandic’s Facebook by 400 percent and has increased online bookings with 20 percent – an increase due to gained market share rather than a growing market. The PR campaign resulted in about 100 media coverages within news-, trade-, lifestyle-, marketing- and design media in 10 countries and have placed Scandic in new, innovative contexts. Only in Sweden, the campaign had a range of about 11,570,000 people and a media value of 10.4 million SEK.
Execution
Two mobile hotel rooms were built and designed and Scandic To Go was launched in June and made accessible for booking at Scandic’s website. During the summer of 2014 Scandic To Go went on tour in Sweden and Norway, to for example the Norwegian and Swedish archipelago, Stockholm Pride, and the political week in Almedalen. Several contests were launched via Scandics Facebook and Instagram in which the winners could book Scandic To Go to their own dream place via #scandictogo.
The Situation
Scandic has made great efforts to develop its offering, including the largest hotel renovation in the history of Sweden and the acquisition of Rica as well as new services such as mobile check-out and express meetings. But, fixed perceptions of Scandic as “safe” and “functional” still remain, and new target groups have not yet experienced the New Scandic. Prime’s brief was to help guests and opinion makers get a modernized view of Scandic and thereby attract new guests, new medias within design and interior design as well as increase the number of bookings and interactions in social medias.
The Strategy
To develop a channel independent communication platform that clearly dramatized the New Scandic. Given that the guests do not want to come to Scandic because of preconceptions about the hotel chain's offer – we decided to bring Scandic to the guests. The new innovative way of showing Scandic was to be shown to the public in their own arenas, such as Stockholm Pride, the Norwegian archipelago, and the political week in Almedalen.