ATLANTA (May 5, 2008) - Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, the world's most recognized hotel brand, announces today the launch of its "M.B.A." (Masters in Business Accommodations) marketing campaign.
The campaign, which features professional athletes Cal Ripken Jr. and Jeff Burton as guest lecturers, teaches business travelers the value of their Priority Club Rewards points, while reinforcing the strengths of today's Holiday Inn.
"As a leader in the hotel industry, Holiday Inn is known for providing business travelers everything they need for an enjoyable and productive business trip, including free high speed Internet, comfortable guest rooms, full-service meeting facilities and a robust loyalty program," said John Merkin, senior vice president of Holiday Inn Brands in the Americas. "The new "M.B.A." campaign demonstrates how Holiday Inn continues to deliver on business travelers' most crucial needs while engaging them in the personality of the brand and our latest promotional offerings."
Developed by Fallon Minneapolis, the humorous and quirky broadcast advertisements star a seemingly hard-nosed professor played by character actor Philip Baker Hall, widely known for his role as a library cop on the classic "Seinfeld" episode "The Library." Hall brings his signature deadpan delivery to the spots as the professor who schools his graduate students on how to successfully choose a business hotel. The students test the professor's patience with antics that include text messaging during class, asking Burton why he doesn't have a mullet, and getting a little too comfortable in the Holiday Inn guest room simulator.
Each TV spot features key business amenities that are available at all Holiday Inn hotels - like free high speed Internet - coupled with news of two Priority Club Rewards promotions that will run concurrently from May 12 through August 31. With the first promotion, guests can earn 2,000 bonus points - up to 20,000 - for every two nights stayed at Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express hotels. The second promotion enables guests who stay eight nights to earn a $40 credit on MLB.com that can be used to purchase official merchandise or tickets to a Major League Baseball game. The eight nights can be accumulated consecutively or non-consecutively at any combination of Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express hotels in the Americas, and there is no limit on the amount that can be earned.
The broadcast advertisements are scheduled to drop May 5 and will run through the end of September on networks like ESPN, Fox, CNN, Comedy Central, Fox News, MSNBC and Turner. Business travelers who want to enroll in the M.B.A program and promotions or watch the new TV ad spots can visit www.holidayinn.com/mba.
About Holiday Inn
With nearly 1,400 hotels worldwide, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts is the most widely recognized lodging brand in the world. In fact, Holiday Inn was one of the first international hotel brands to establish a presence in China in 1984. Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts provides the services that business travelers need, while also offering a comfortable atmosphere where all people can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants and room service, swimming pools, fitness centers and comfortable lounges. The casual atmosphere and amenities such as meeting and on-site business facilities, KidSuites rooms, Kids Eat and Stay Free programs, and the ability to earn Priority Club Rewards points that can be redeemed for great merchandise, airline miles or free room nights, demonstrate the long-standing commitment of Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts to serving travelers and have helped to establish the brand as "America's Favorite Hotel." For more information about Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit www.holidayinn.com.
Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts participates in Priority Club Rewards. With more than 37 million members, Priority Club Rewards is the first, largest and fastest-growing guest loyalty program in the hotel industry. Winner of the 19th Annual Freddie Awards hotel loyalty "Program of the Year" and named "Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World" by Global Traveler magazine, Priority Club Rewards offers more sought-after benefits and the greatest ease of use of any hotel loyalty program.
Enrollment in Priority Club Rewards is free. Guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG's nearly 4,000 hotels worldwide.
Notes to Editors:
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, almost 4,000 hotels and more than 585,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Hotel Indigo, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.
The company pioneered the travel industry's first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG's global corporate responsibility focus.
With more than 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG will be recruiting around 130,000 people over the next few years to meet its global expansion plans.
IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media.
Contact: Brad Minor/ Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts / Brad.Minor@ihg.com/ 770-604-5271
