SHA’s Advanced Marketing Impress the Best with Final Projects
The Fall 2015 HF 460 Advanced Marketing Strategies classes had the opportunity to create innovative marketing ideas and assemble and document real plans for actual clients. The class proved to be a challenging and thought provoking approach to marketing communications and branding for a variety of hospitality assets.
This semester’s clients included:
- Finger Lakes Wine Country: A destination marketing plan was needed to create more web traffic and visitation during off peak month
- TerraVelo Tours: A glamour camping experience offering weekends in the Vineyards of Napa and promoting the experience to regional corporate entities and social groups
- Tremont 647: Premier Boston Chef Andy Husband’s restaurant in the young professional neighborhood of Boston ‘s South End, seeking a refresh of its marketing activities for a long established successful enterprise, with the need to branch out to newer audiences.
- Union Square Hospitality Group: Famed restaurant owner Danny Meyer’s marketing team sought out new best practices for its social media efforts for the brand and each of its 13 individual restaurants. Students ultimately drafted a job description with tasks, responsibilities and metrics for a USHG Engagement Officer.
- Smoke Shop: Once again Chef Andy Husbands shares with us the preview of his upcoming BBQ restaurant soon to open in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. The HF 460 teams put together marketing and communications activities to assist with the branding of the restaurant, locally and beyond.
- Bond: The luxurious restaurant at The Langham Boston Hotel sought a fresh set of eyes. The creative team of students re-branded the restaurant with a roaring 20’s vibe, complete with music, small plates and creative imagery, proving to the restaurant’s food and beverage team that check covers would also increase with the new concept.
- Langham Hotel Boston: Seeking fresh ideas to improve weekend business in a financial neighborhood, the Langham marketing team was impressed by the student group’s concept for reaching new target audiences and utilizing Langham’s existing marketing assets to help with awareness and branding.
- Volpe: A restaurant on Long island and part of the famed Scotto Brothers hospitality company has the challenge of standing as a restaurant in a hotel and/or catering hall without the privilege of street side physical visibility. The team used market research in the target demographic to determine customer solutions and re-position the restaurant to better compete with its existing competitive set.
The students worked in teams throughout the course of the semester and presented, professionally, before their actual clients Whether it was in person or via Skype, the students rehearsed their presentations in order to make it tight and fluid. Clients commented and shared feedback.
The students were relieved and exhilarated, and learned a great deal with their brief introduction to real world marketing. Mid-semester, some of the students also participated in a field trip to Connelly Partners, a renowned hospitality marketing agency based in the South-end, to see creative marketing and branding teams at work, and to learn about the agency and account management process.
–Leora Lanz, Professor of Advanced Marketing