Evaluation of the the Peninsula Hotels Marketing Communications

Purpose of the paper

• To develop the skills making a detailed analysis and the assessment of the marketing communications of the Peninsula hotels in an evolving and complex environment based on a theoretical knowledge of the understanding of principles of luxury marketing.
• To make an application of the knowledge using a critical assessment of the media and vehicles of communication and digital strategy.
• To make an informed recommendation on the hotels' marketing communication strategy to the brand's senior management.

Intended recipient

The paper plans to reach out to all the customers of the hotel chains, the internal staff and the workforce, the management of the hotel chains as well as the various stakeholders and partners of the hotel chains.

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Background information

Media landscape and today's environment

According to Waldman (2011), media landscape is a means of communication that can reach out to an enormous number of people, examples being the television, radios of newspapers. In the present-day world, technology has gone a step further in bringing an ease in the life of people. Technology has taken many dimensions, including the sending and reception of information, as well as advertisements and the dissemination of information. Businesses and investments have chosen this lifetime chance to incorporate technology in the running and the conducting of their businesses and processes via modes of communication such the media; including the social media and public forms of communication. On type of these investments and enterprises includes the luxury hospitalities that include the luxurious hotel brands such as the Peninsula hotels. There has been a need for these luxury hotel brands to make an examination of their digital marketing platforms as well as the public means of communication. The need for adaption of these digital platforms includes the need for online bookings and hotel service inquiries to set up a competitive advantage as supported by Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, (2016).

Introduction to Peninsula hotels and main audience

As discussed by The Peninsula Hotels (2018), these hotels are luxurious properties that are owned and operated by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels. The oldest hotel stands in Hong Kong, after being opened in the year 1928. The Hong Kong Shanghai are Limited Hotels that were incorporated in the year 1866. This company started to make engagements in the real estate, whereby there was the start of land and property acquisition and finally the opening of The Peninsula Hong Kong in the city of Tsim Sha Tsui in the year 1928. The company ventured into American market in 1988 by opening the Peninsula New York. This hotel was later followed by another one opening in Beijing in 1989 and another in Beverly Hills in 1991. The Peninsula Hong Kong has a world record of placing the most significant Rolls-Royce cars in a single order in the whole world. The intended audience that are targeted by these hotels include the traveling professionals and the locals guests who love the local culture, style, and history of the host nation (The Peninsula Hotels, 2018).

Content of the paper

This paper will critically evaluate the hotel brand's marketing communication and the communication vehicles used. The paper will also identify opportunities where the hotel brands could improve the marketing communications, including the digital strategy and presence using it as a basis for the recommendations. The paper will also come up with and recommendation that is convincing to the hotel's senior management according to the analysis and evaluation on the areas to be improve in digital marketing and strategies for the hotels. The recommendation will point on target audience, choice of media and the use of the digital media in a relevant way.

Analysis

Evaluation of the Hotels' marketing communications

According to Loras, (2015), these Hotels have over 140 years of historical milestone that has consisted of growth and development in many areas and dimensions. The hotels have been expanding rapidly, establishing branches into new areas, while exhibiting and advertising themselves to their clientele in every region they develop new branches. The hotels management has made sure that everywhere they establish a new hotel, much communication and campaigns is being held to the people in the area, reaching out to them on then need to make a visit and get a taste of the most exceptional experience of their lifetime.

The hotel management, over the years, has been able to develop a branding and communication system that is strategic as pointed out by Loras, (2015). This system has enabled them to make a strengthening of the awareness among the people and the positioning of the markets to make an enhancement in the development of the individual hotel brands around the globe as well as making a drive for revenue. The hotel brands have also been able to invest in the technology sector to ensure the maximum thriving of the business across all their branches. The hotel brand has therefore been ready to usher in a new era of landmark development in the marketing and advertising of the enterprises, by conducting brand campaigns that have cost the businesses a record 450 million dollars. The investment has therefore been a major flagship project in the industry that has ensured maximum sensitization of the masses as well as bringing back profits and the increase in the market (Loras, 2015).

A vital element of the Peninsula Hotels has been the finding of the hallmarks of the real meaning of the brand's DNA in the digital transition of the Hotels. The hotels had to move into the online field of communication to create an impact to the outside world according to Robert Cheng, who was appointed as the vice president of the communications and the brand marketing of the Rosewood Hotel branch (The Peninsula Hotels, 2018). Cheng further points out on the need to stay true and fixed to the pillars that determine and define the real Peninsula hotel before venturing to the online marketing world. One step that the line of hotels has taken is online communication by investing in the creation of the hotel website. According to Cheng, there was a need to show a side of the hotel that is full of fun and loads of innovation, away from the heritage, glamorous and sophisticated side (Paloma Villaverde de Rico, 2016).

One advantage of launching their digital website and strategy has been a sharp rise in the revenues collected by the hotels from the bookings that have been done online. The hotels have also seen their earnings grow in double digits all across their social channels, more people guests visiting these hotels and spending much longer times in the hotels and spending much more in their stay (Hotels, n.d). All these have been attributed to the online advertisements of the features of the hotels, the services offered and the types of amenities that reside within. Therefore, the guests have a predetermined method of staying in the hotel and the kind of relaxation they will encounter and be served with once they check in (Hotels, n.d). Cheng has also explained how this digital transformation of the Enterprise has helped in the establishment of the brand values, the choosing of social platforms globally and the emergence of a website that has been very effective. The primary challenge though, faced by these marketers, has been the ability to embrace technology and staying true and focused on the brand as discussed by Paloma Villaverde de Rico, (2016).

This website has been given customer-first orientation as pointed out by Hotels, (n.d). The site has many options and areas that provide much information about the services offered to the clients for prior knowledge and planning when visiting. The site is also customarily fed with the videos that give the customers a spectacular view and tour of the hospitals. It, therefore, serves as a motivating factor and an attracting force to these customers. The website is also updated continuously according to the changing the services, the innovations and refurbishments being done at the hotels (Hotels, n.d). The customers are therefore regularly updated and kept in the limelight on any change of services or improvements in the services at these hotels.

The Peninsula Hotels have thus, been able to establish themselves as a luxury brand. These hotels have been defined by qualities such as having a customer insight, and all other people who are yet to be made customers. The next quality that has been able to define these hotels is the ability to create a connection with the customers, the story being told by the enterprise, the communication with the people and the overall positioning of the business (The Peninsula Hotels, 2018). In understanding the principles of the luxury branding such as pricing, and the public relations, the enterprise has therefore been able to make contacts with the customers and take their suggestions through the modes of technological communication. Customers have been able to make inquiries, offer their views and opinions to enable the improvements and upgrading to be made (Hotels, n.d).

It is for this reason that many people have been encouraged to use the website to get a glimpse of the 'Peninsula experience (Hotels, n.d).' Many customers have therefore flocked into the site to get a glance of the luxurious services that these hotels provide. Many people have therefore opted to use the website to make prior bookings, to take rounds in the aim of familiarizing themselves with these areas and the amenities in the hotels. Many smartphone users have therefore found themselves utilizing their modes of communication to access the Peninsula website to get the news and the rates for accommodation. Thus, a statistic has been developed for the smartphone users throughout the years for interactions with the hotel management and inquiries. The number is rising every year, as it has already been predicted up to the year 2019 (Do, Blom & Gatica-Perez, 2011). The increase in technological advancements has caused this trend, and the understanding of the customer needs by the businesses and the luxury markets in general.

Despite the website usage in communication and passing information to the consumers, the Peninsula Hotels also give out information to their loyal customers through the print media. There have been the regular printing of leaflets and brochures that are distributed when the travelers visit the hotels and also making trips to the cites where the hotels are located. The hotels also use the newspapers and the journals to create advertisements for the lovers of reading. All these also serve as a media for passing the information about the hotels and thus helping in the development of the luxury sector, a fact Kipphan, (2001) supports.

In general, the luxury sector today has faced a challenge in the shift of the definition of luxury itself as supported by Wiedmann & Hennigs, (2012). The segments of consumers are diversifying, and their expectations have increased significantly. Some customers seek for innovation, flexibility, and personalization in addition to the heritage, tradition and the preserve conventions. All these are some of the factors that the Peninsula Hotels have brought forward in the market to beat many of the other brands. Through marketing their traditions and the preserved heritage over the media, the hotels have been able to earn the trust of many people and being made a number one priority for many travelers (The Peninsula Hotels, 2018).

The information needed by the travelers have been made readily available by these hotels on their website and thu...