Microsoft's Sax Appeal

The Microsoft-sponsored lounge at Hotel Sax Chicago has been a rousing success—so much so, says a Microsoft spokesman, that a number of big brands are eager to customize the concept for their hotels as a way to increase their hipness and, accordingly, their room rates. Look for versions of "The Studio—experience by Microsoft" to begin cropping up in a few major (as yet unnammed) hotel chains within the next year or so.

The expanded Microsoft lounge rollout effort has been internally code-named "Project Joliet," and the company has put together an innovative promotional campaign targeted toward the hotel industry. Check out the flashy Project Joliet Web site, including customer testimonials via embedded video.

As for the original Studio at Sax, Microsoft will be ramping up its exposure there, with more experiential events, such as themed events centered around Xbox game releases, plus additional branding and signage throughout. The added branding will be subtle, but there’s apparently room for it; contrary to the company’s initial fears and criticism from reviewers who (perhaps snidely) dubbed Sax "Hotel Microsoft," guests have largely been oblivious to Microsoft’s presence in The Studio. Turns out, most consumers don’t even realize Microsoft has any connection to The Studio, and they tend to be more excited about both the hotel and Microsoft when they find out.