IHG Hotels & Resorts builds upon We’re there, its global marketing campaign launched in June for Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express
These two iconic brands by IHG, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, will continue to enable people to travel and come together in-real-life (“IRL”) by surprising travellers with 10,000 free nights for stays at properties around the world.
By encouraging guests to #BeThereIRL, the brands will celebrate the in-person connections that have taken place in nearly 4,000 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide.
Even in the digital-first world, people crave in-person moments and connections with friends, family and colleagues, and they are willing to go out of their way to make them happen.
According to new research conducted this year by the two IHG brands, although 59 percent of people communicate with family members digitally more than in person, the desire to travel to be with family and friends is stronger than ever.
A nationwide survey in both the US and UK found that one in four adults confess to skipping work or school to gain more time with their loved ones; spending time IRL is not waning in the digital age—in fact, many adults have lied to get out of doing something else (26 percent) in order to take a trip to see a loved one; and 78 percent of adults would prefer to share an all-expenses-paid weekend trip with someone rather than an all-expenses-paid shopping spree (22 percent) with their best friend.
“Through our We’re there campaign, we are enabling, uncovering and sharing the stories of real-life, meaningful connections that have happened at our hotels. From the couple who met at a Holiday Inn property celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary, to the business partners who started an empire from the lobby of a Holiday Inn Express hotel, we are celebrating moments and relationships that could only have happened by travelling to be there in real life,” said Heather Balsley, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Mainstream brands.
We’re there launched globally earlier this summer with two cobranded spots that embrace the experiences of people reuniting with those they care about most. The campaign focuses on the importance of being there in person for moments and connections that cannot be replaced by social media likes or conference calls.
The IHG brands have always had a history of enabling human connections. Since the first hotel opened in Memphis in 1952, Holiday Inn has played a pivotal role in bringing people together through travel, whether for business or leisure.
With hotel teams welcoming millions of guests through their doors, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels make travel more accessible for all and are uniquely positioned to help travellers be there to connect with those who matter most to them.
