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IHG brings back Stay Smart for Express brand

What’s old is new again at IHG’s Holiday Inn Express brand. Based on its successful 11-year run that started in 1998, IHG on Monday launched a US$20 million Stay Smart advertising campaign, featuring two television commercials that bring back the tagline, “But I Did Stay at a Holiday Inn Express Hotel Last Night.”

“The Stay Smart campaign was not only incredibly successful, but also remains beloved by consumers even today, which is why we are bringing it back,” said Heather Balsley, senior vice president, Americas, Holiday Inn Brand Family. “The new campaign gives us an opportunity to showcase the Holiday Inn Express brand to a new audience in entirely new ways.”

Balsley told HOTELS the campaign will also act to differentiate Express, which grew from 500 hotels in 1996 to 1,700 hotels in 2008, from the core Holiday Inn brand. In fact, Balsley added that Holiday Inn will launch its own new ad campaign this summer.

The new Stay Smart commercials will air across 10 major networks, including ESPN, TBS, Bravo and FX. In addition, they will appear in local markets during syndication of programs such as Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother.

The TV activity will be complemented by a mix of digital, tablet, mobile and gaming video placements targeting outlets such as YouTube, Hulu and CBS Interactive. It also includes a mix of online, social media and billboard communications, with all media planning and buying for the Stay Smart campaign handled by Mindshare.

“The consumer is different today than five years ago when first campaign ended,” Balsley added. “It is now a two-way conversation and we are going to invite guests to contribute content through social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more complete engagement. We will ask them to tell us their ideas about what it means to stay smart and we will share that through social media. We want to connect with guests where they are engaging with media.”

The TV creative was filmed in Toronto and directed by The Pelorian Brothers.

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