#IHG #ExtendedStay Brands #Staybridge & #Candlewood Launch Digital Video Ad Campaign

18 July, 2013 IHG’s Extended Stay Brands Launch First Digital Video Advertising Campaign

Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites Brands Utilize Crowdsourcing to Develop Video Advertisements with a Playful Take on Hotel Stays

ATLANTA – IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], one of the world’s leading global hotel companies, today launches the first digital video advertising campaign for its extended stay brands, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® hotels. The campaign showcases, in a lighthearted and fun way, the amenities and wonderful guest experience IHG’s extended stay hotels offer – something that is especially important when guests are away from home for a long period.

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“We know that video is at the center of the digital advertising universe, and we also know that our guests are absorbing more and more content this way,” said Robert Radomski, vice president Brand Leadership, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. “Based on this knowledge, it made sense to share the Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brand stories through digital video content, and we are excited to reach out to our guests in a new and creative way.”

To help create compelling and interesting content for the Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands, IHG looked to Poptent, a leader in crowdsourced video production. Through Poptent, IHG was able to connect with a network of independent filmmakers around the world who were asked to submit creative ideas highlighting the home-like experience guests have at Staybridge Suites hotels and the opportunity Candlewood Suites guests have to feel free and independent.

The Staybridge Suites video series, titled “Home on the Road” is a playful look at the brand and its many amenities for upscale extended stay travelers including spacious studio, one and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens; large, flexible workspaces; The Social evening reception and complimentary Wireless Anywhere. These all add up to a guest experience that feels just like home.

“Make it your Home Base,” the Candlewood Suites brand video, truly exemplifies the spirit of the Candlewood Suites hotel guest. They are down to earth, independent and value the fact that the hotels give them the space they need to work and relax. The video advertisement highlights a variety of brand features that Candlewood Suites hotels offer including fully equipped in-suite kitchens; complimentary guest laundry; the 24-hour Candlewood Cupboard®, which works on the honor system; and the newest brand innovation, the Lending Locker, all of which allow guests to live, work and relax on their own schedule.

“We are excited to work with IHG’s extended stay brands to engage their target audience through this social awareness campaign,” said Nick Pahade, chief executive officer of Poptent.  “For the Candlewood Suites brand, over 300 filmmakers from the Poptent community participated in the creative challenge and developed 29 unique videos. For the Staybridge Suites brand, over 400 filmmakers worked to submit 43 diverse and creative videos. Both assignments resulted in authentic social video content developed and shared through an inherently social process.”

The digital video advertising campaign is scheduled to air through early fall targeting key vertical segments for each of the brands through various online video channels to ultimately drive awareness and consideration for the Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands.

About Staybridge Suites® Hotels
Staybridge Suites® is an innovative, all-suite hotel brand and winner of numerous awards in guest satisfaction. Staybridge Suites hotels are designed to meet the needs of extended stay guests and are ideal for travelers seeking a residential-style hotel that is perfect for business, relocation and vacations.

Amenities include: three suite types (studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom/two-bath) with fully equipped kitchens, a highly functional work area separate from living areas, two-line speaker phone with voicemail and direct dial access and free high-speed Internet access. Staybridge Suites hotels offer free Wireless Anywhere, a complimentary daily hot breakfast, The Social evening reception three days a week, a 24-hour Business Center, Fitness Room and Laundry Room, all of which are complimentary for guests.

The Staybridge Suites brand entered the extended stay segment in December 1998 when its flagship location in Alpharetta, Ga., opened. Since that opening, the Staybridge Suites brand continues to grow rapidly with more than 189 hotels open across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.  There are more than 70 Staybridge Suites hotels in the pipeline, including eight outside of the Americas.

For more information about the Staybridge Suites brand, call 1-877-238-8889 or visit www.StaybridgeSuites.com. Find Staybridge Suites hotels on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Staybridge or Facebook www.Facebook.com/StaybridgeSuites.

About Candlewood Suites® Hotels

Candlewood Suites® hotels are focused on comfort, space and value.  At more than 300 properties located throughout North America, guests find spacious studio and one-bedroom suites each with its own fully equipped kitchen, executive desk, DVD player, recliner and telephone with voice mail plus free local calls.  The Candlewood Gym and free Guest Laundry are open around the clock, and guests can take advantage of the 24-hour Candlewood Cupboard®, where they will find breakfast items, snacks, refreshments, entrées and necessities available on the honor system.  Guests can borrow items they may need during their extended visit, including a desk fan, extra lighting, larger kitchen appliances and more, from the new Lending Locker. Candlewood Suites hotels offer guests all of this at a very comfortable price.

For more information or to book a reservation, visit www.CandlewoodSuites.com or call 1-888-CANDLEWOOD. Find Candlewood Suites hotels on Twitter h ttp://www.twitter.com/Candlewood or Facebook www.Facebook.com/CandlewoodSuites.

About Poptent
Poptent (www.poptent.com) is a social video creation company, leveraging crowdsourcing to connect top brands and agencies with the world’s largest community of independent filmmakers.  Poptent and its growing network of over 65,000 filmmakers in 140 countries deliver high-quality video focused on marketing performance for Global 500 brands and agencies through a proven process known as “make, test, share.” Poptent provides a full-service suite of managed video marketing services while offering simple and efficient video testing services to help clients identify the top executions from multiple and diverse creative submissions. Poptent then helps clients distribute the best-performing videos more affordably to the channels of their choice through performance-based, user-initiated viewing campaigns designed specifically for more effective social content marketing.

Media Contacts:
Jordan Worrall, Staybridge Suites®,Candlewood Suites®, jordan.worrall@ihg.com, +1(770) 604-5010

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organization with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 73 million members worldwide. The program was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and more than 674,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

Source: 4traders.com

Subject: IHG Staybridge & Candlewood Digital Ad Campaign