Picture Frames for Marriott Hotels - Case Study Example

of the of the Submitted Picture Frames for Marriott Hotels Introduction The essence of marketing involves creating or deciphering an unspoken need or want and then creating a product or service that satisfies this need or want. For every given want or need, there are a number of products and services that will satisfy them, and all of these have their own features, benefits and shortcomings. The buyer or purchaser will choose that level of product or service that he or she can afford but at the same time it must also offer some value to them. In this paper we are going to look at how to market the idea of photographs and picture framing while staying at the Marriott Hotels worldwide and how we can combine them with the different personal and business events that can be marketed and offered at this world famous hotel chain. Mission and Objectives Looking at the history and advantages of the Marriott chain of hotels and resorts, if we decide to start and expand our photography and picture framing business, we would already have a launch pad from where we could reap the benefits of offering our products and services in the form of various packages to a diverse group of customers comprising different nationalities that stay at the various locations of Marriott worldwide. For starters, we would have to choose each local market and think about how the demand for our products and services can be created and maintained. The lessons learned closer to home can in time be developed into a foolproof package that caters to the needs of a diverse clientele as evidenced by the different tastes of the nationalities that visit and stay at the hotel group all through the year (Jim Pinto’s website, 1). For instance, the package for students and young people interested in sightseeing and touring would be very different from an offering for business events or personal events like anniversaries or the wedding package. A little brainstorming would help clarify the needs of each different group of customers and careful attention to feedback would also be maintained to understand and cater to customer needs. In time, we would be able to liaise with local craftsmen or manufacturers of picture frames and expert photographers, or even set up local cottage industries where the local peculiarities like temples (Thailand), windmills (Amsterdam) or other objects can form part of the picture frame design and remind customers of a unique experience. Discussion We have already seen that the Marriott Hotel chain occupies a very unique and important place in the hotel industry. It is one of the most widely and readily recognizable brands in the world today. Marriott International Incorporated is a worldwide hotel chain operator that has around 3,150 hotels, suites, resorts and other lodging accommodations in the United States of America. It also operates in 68 countries globally. Its franchise has earned a good reputation over the years and thus it has also developed a loyal following of guests and visitors. The Marriott hotel chain was founded by J. Willard Marriott back in 1927 and is now expertly and ably managed by his son, J. W. Marriott, Jr. Marriott Hotels is one of the leading global American brands that is easily recognized worldwide and also remains a favorite place for seasoned travelers. As such, it would be an ideal hotel chain from which to launch a new product offering such as the subject of this paper, which is high-quality photographs and elegant and also customizable picture frames (The Marriott.com website, 1). The Importance and Use of Marketing Segmentation Marketing segmentation refers to the division of the whole target market into different classes or layers of people depending on their particular and unique characteristics which can be in terms of psychographics, demographics, lifestyle choices or stage of the life cycle. For example we can separate the target population into groups depending on their incomes and professions, marital status and number of kids etc. Each of these families may have similar needs which can be seen on an age-wise basis, and this can help Marriott develop a product or service depending on that particular need. We can also characterize needs or determine wants based on gender, income or education level. So marketing by segmentation makes us realize and cater to the individual or specific needs of a group while in undifferentiated marketing we treat all the customers as one homogenous group. Can Segmentation Be of Use Here? Looking at the nature and bases of segmentation, Marriott Hotels and Resorts can surely develop some branding for different packages offered in relation to photography and picture framing. For a personal event such as a Wedding or Birthday, they can develop not only photographs capturing the different key moments but also arrange for videoing the whole event or the most important parts as a memento to keep forever. For example, a sixteenth birthday, an eighteenth birthday or a twenty first birthday is usually an event of some significance as it indicates maturity or coming of age. Then again a Wedding package can be developed where in addition to the catering and the hosting of the event at the hotel premises, we have an expert photographer or two click photographs of bride and bridegroom at different points, entering the hall, cutting the cake, raising the toast, wishing guests, dancing, having dinner and the after dinner activities (Cook & Young 21). Various Events and Product Offerings They can also cater to the different religious festivals such as Hannukah, Bar Mitzvah, Eid, Christmas, New Year and Easter parties for instance. Every festival would need to have its own settings and symbols such as Christmas trees, Easter bunnies and egg hunt for example. In this manner the Marriott Group can also get loyal followers out of various ethnic and religious groups. No doubt such communities would treasure the memories captured by a photograph and encased in a special purpose frame specially made for the event (Kotler & Armstrong, 171). When it comes to anniversaries, office parties and other events, a photographer can also be on hand to take photographs of groups of friends, departments and office bearers so that the event is made memorable through photographs capturing these different elements. A tenth, twenty fifth, fiftieth, seventy fifth and hundredth anniversary are always memorable events which can create good business opportunities for the hotel. Another possibility is to market the particular environs in which the Marriott Hotel is situated. Different weather conditions and backdrops make for interesting viewing and help the people in the photograph remember their trip and the event that took them there. It no doubt serves as pleasant memories that can be shared with guests over evening tea on many an occasion. What a difference it would make to be photographed with the Rocky Mountains of Colorado in the background, or the plains of Yellowstone Park, or indeed, Manila Bay in the Philippines or the Burj-ul-Arab in Dubai. In my opinion, Marriott Hotels could include photography and framing as additional elements of its city tour in the different countries and locations that it is part of all over the world. It would even make for good advertising if they could get some guests’ genuine comments about the wonder and uniqueness of it all. In fact the best photographs could with the guests’ permission be grouped into the Annual Report for the hotel, used as advertising material or just kept in the hallway or the foyer of the hotel to show the connection Marriott has with its guest and the importance and value they have for the hotel chain. Marriot Hotels could also have a Guest of the Month competition for the best photographs and comments, from which they could choose the Guest of the Year for each country. It would help boost the name and fame of the hotel group as having done something unique. For the Guest of the Month, the prize could be a hotel stay with breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner included for a whole weekend (2 days and 2 nights). This is a way to promote the hotel and its offerings among the local populace. For the Guest of the Year, this prize could be extended to the whole week or seven days and seven nights maximum. In relation to groups of different nationalities inhabiting the same city, the Marriott Hotel group could also and often does appeal to the consulates and cultural centers of these groups in order to arrange cultural festivities and events that celebrate the national days of these countries. The participants and guests are encouraged to take part in events that promote their culture and traditions and this also makes for good publicity for the convening hotel. It is another chance to hire photographers and sell frames commemorating the occasion. It would also show that the Marriott Group recognizes and promotes the importance of cultural and social values and celebrates and encourages diversity. Lastly, the Marriott Group could arrange to have training classes for swimming, fitness and various sports like tennis, karate, squash, volleyball and basketball and also allow both parents and children to join these via a club membership that may be monthly, annual or during the long school breaks. Holding competitions at the end of the program would not only be a way to promote healthy competition, but also be another chance to get photographs made and framed. Both the parents and children are likely to take part in being photographed. Having other events like Ladies Nights, Professional Secretaries Society Night and weekdays or weekends celebrating the food and culture of different countries is not only a way to get good knowledge about the culture, food and traditions of these countries but makes good business sense too. It is yet another opportunity for taking photographs, framing them and getting some publicity. For the business personnel, opportunities could also be tapped and so events like business meetings, professional societies, conventions and exhibitions of various kinds give the hotel and its photographer a chance to click photographs as well as develop videos of these occasions. It makes for good business sense as well as publicity for the hotel group. This is also part of social and cultural recognition. Creating a Niche Market Specifically, a niche is a specialized market catering to a specific need of a particular group of customers that is not part of the mainstream. However since hotel and tourist groups have long included photographs and frames as part of their package tours or something that can be marketed as extras, the opportunities for the Marriott Group to create a niche market here are none. However by including the photographs and frames as part of a marketing effort for Customer of the Month and Customer of the Year, the Marriott Group of Hotels and Resorts will definitely make a sold and lasting connection with its customers. This is in fact quite similar to reward points that airlines and credit card companies give to their users (Ward, 1). Advantages and Disadvantages Marriott is a well known and well regarded hotel chain all over the world. But some Muslim nations such as Pakistan and Indonesia regard it as a symbol of American culture and so it has been a target of terrorist groups like the militant Al-Qaeda and its sister groups and sympathetic followers. The Islamabad bombing, the Bali bombing and the terrorist attack in Mumbai a few years ago are examples where hotel and tourist industry has suffered reverse publicity and untold damage due to terrorist attacks. These events are the death knell for tourism, hotels and allied industries such as transport and local handicrafts that foreigners prefer to buy as a memento. All the same, hotels and tourism is a big foreign exchange earlier besides home remittances from local working abroad. The Federal Government as well as the Provincial and Regional Governments encourage it and local utility services are always to be made available in case of any mishap. A reasonable charge is also taken for these facilities and amenities. Conclusion We have thus seen how the Marriott Hotel Group can capitalize on its location and worldwide recognition to play an active part in enhancing the business opportunities through photography and framing that endures and enhances the memories and enriches the lives of guests for the better no matter where they are. Works Cited Cook, Johnie L & Young, Richard. Flow Posing: The Practical Guide for Wedding Photographers. Print. Jim Pinto’s Website. ‘Think Global, Act Local.’ 2003. Web. Accessed on 05 April 2012 at http://www.jimpinto.com/writings/global1.html Kotler, Philip & Armstrong, Gary. Principles of Marketing, 14th ed. 2011. Print. The CNN.com Website. Deadly blast targets Marriott in Islamabad, September 20, 2008. Web. The Marriott.com Website. Our History. Web. Accessed on 01 April 2012 at http://www.marriott.com/careers/history.mi Ward, Susan. How to Find and Master a Niche Market. From the About.com Guide. Web. Accessed on 01 April 2012 at http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/nichemarket/a/nichemarket.htm Read More