SHERATON ASKS "WHO'S TAKING CARE OF YOU?"
By Adnews Staff
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts of White Plains, New York is spending $30 million to ask the question "Who's taking care of you?". The question is the theme of Sheraton's new, multi-lingual global advertising campaign. The campaign, created by DDB of New York, broke this week in the U.S. and Canada. Internationally, the campaign will break in January 2000. The spokespeople in the campaign are actually the children of business travellers. Print advertisements show children talking in their own voice. One print ad that will be translated into 12 different languages, has a child asking "Please press our mom's suit. She had to fly coach". Additional ads which feature photographs of children say "Our dad is coming to America. Please give him a map. He hates to ask for directions" and "Make sure my mother gets her faxes, especially the one with my math homework". Peter Tate, president of DDB said the agency worked to develop insights in understanding how business travellers balance their professional and personal lives. Keith Ferrazzi, chief marketing officer for Starwood said gone are the beaches, pools and hammocks previously used in communicating a message. Initially the campaign will launch with print advertising but a "Dear Mr. Sheraton" television campaign is scheduled for Canada and the U.S. next year. Sheraton is also reaching out to business travellers through airport shuttle bus advertising and advertisements in metropolitan airports including: New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Internet sites such as expedia.com and travelocity.com will also promote the campaign. Sheraton operates more than 375 hotels in 65 countries.