As reported on Hotel Blogs, the Dubai luxury hotel chain Jumeirah is offering a video podcast (Jcast) which provides video on the brand, its programs, properties, and general Jumeirah news. Consumers can subscribe to the video podcast through iTunes to view on their video enabled ipod or download the episodes direct for playback on their computer.
Episode Overview:
- Welcome to Jumeirah [2:04] - Explains the brand and what it is all about.
- Stay Different [5:59] - Focuses on how Jumeirah is different from competitors and discusses future strategic visions of the brand.
- Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa [2:54] - Various video highlights of the property.
- Jumeirah In 60 seconds [1:04] - Brief overview of the brand and video highlights from each property.
- The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management [3:58] - Testimonials from students which promotes Dubai, the Emirates Academy, and Jumeirah and its academic relationship.
It is nice to see a hotel chain embracing consumer trends and technology and offering a video podcast. The ability to communicate in this manner will allow the luxury chain to inform consumers, define the brand, and build loyalty. Before their arrival date, hotel guests can learn about the brand and property, becoming more informed and solidifying their choice. Guests that have stayed at a Jumeirah property can download the video podcasts and visually share their experience with family and friends. The podcast should also prove to be a great cross-marketing tool as new videos can be added highlighting each property.
These same video podcast episodes could also be displayed at the property level through a digital signage network comprised of large format flat panel displays such as plasmas or LCDs. Not every guest has an ipod, nor will every guest download and view every episode on their pc. The ability to leverage video created for the web to market a brand’s hotels at the property level will prove to be effective and cost-efficient. Each hotel can also run their own specific content to engage and communicate with the customer at the point of contact.
As more and more hotel companies seek new ways to communicate with consumers, applications such as video podcasts and digital signage networks will prove to be necessary in building loyalty and driving the bottom line. Amenities can be copied by competitors, but a hotel’s unique story cannot. Those companies that have a compelling, closed-loop marketing strategy and embrace new forms of communicating with consumers will be the most successful.
