Launching W Singapore – Sentosa Cove: Starwood Hotel’s Digital Strategy to Drive Bookings

It is March 2012 and Janice Chan, the senior director of digital marketing and distribution for Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels, is responsible for delivering a digital marketing campaign strategy to the sales and marketing team at the W Singapore — Sentosa Cove. The hotel, which is set to open in just six months, needs a solid online advertising campaign that is sure to bring in 15-20% of the hotel’s booked room nights from the first month. Chan and her team have a limited budget of US$44,000 for the campaign. She recognises that a proper budget allocation across different advertising platforms, as well as selecting the right feeder markets into Singapore, will be critical to success. It will take some creativity, but Chan is confident that her team will recommend a winning strategy that is sure to fill rooms when the W opens in September 2012.

This case has been developed to illustrate digital marketing options, specifically, as it pertains to launching a new hotel. Students will learn how to best utilise a limited budget to drive room bookings. In addition, they will understand the role of digital marketing in creating brand awareness, supporting positive evaluation and driving sales. The advantage of focusing on the hospitality industry is that it provides clearly measurable outcomes, where room bookings and revenue can be matched to how and where the digital marketing budget is allocated. Students will also benefit from the Asian context in which the case takes place. This is important because it highlights different digital usage patterns and effectiveness parameters across regions.