Q&A with Courtney Morrow, Marketing & Social Media Manager, Hilton Anatole, Dallas.
How does the Anatole view Gen Y’s rising influence on the group market?
Gen Y is a highly influential, fast-paced, tech-savvy generation, and as they continue to rise in the workforce, we see an increased demand for innovative and engaging group offerings. As a whole, Gen Y’s collaborative nature and need for instant gratification has inspired our hotel to adapt on-property amenities, activities and F&B offerings to meet new expectations of group and leisure guests.
How is the Anatole connecting with Gen Y customers?
Our customized approach integrates social media and digital offerings into the planning process, from the initial site visit through the duration of the program. We offer real-time hashtag display feeds, which drive awareness of hotel and group social media handles/hashtags and foster real-time discussions among attendees and speakers. Social media integration allows us to provide rapid response customer service by directing questions and feedback to Twitter using a custom hashtag, while our SMS service, Kipsu, facilitates guest interaction via text message. On-property, we offer programming such as our Anatole Art smartphone application, which invites guests to interactively tour our world-class art collection.
How does your marketing approach set the Anatole apart?
Our goal is to help planners create a collaborative, tech-driven setting to better engage and impact their Gen Y attendees. Social media and the digital age have enabled corporate brands to personalize and connect with employees and consumers on a deeper level. As a hotel, when connecting with users on social media platforms and review sites, we see online hospitality as a direct reflection of our offline hospitality.
