Press Release: Marriott International, Inc.
September 5, 2001
WASHINGTON, DC -- Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is launching a major new broadcast and print advertising
campaign featuring wry humor and a cast of unexpected celebrities. The new campaign, which breaks the evening of
September 5 and will run on all major networks and cable, promotes the company's fall weekend rates. It is also
the first television campaign to support the portfolio of Marriott brands.
The first ad premieres on NBC's new primetime show, ``Lost'' (Marriott is a national sponsor), and fully launches
the week of September 10 on the three major networks and on cable. The heavy cable schedule includes CNN, VH1,
A&E, and the Travel and Weather channels. The following week, the print campaign will appear in USA Today and
in newspapers in the top U.S. markets.
In each of the four television spots, a celebrity interrupts an ordinary moment in a typical family's routine day
to suggest a weekend getaway. A man mowing a suburban lawn, for example, suddenly comes face to face with Alice
Cooper, garbed in gothic dress and full stage make-up, who earnestly asks when the man last took his family away
for the weekend and spent some quality time with them. Unsurprised by the unlikely encounter, the man deadpans,
``Sounds great,'' as a voice-over notes that ``Residence Inn's 'Come out and Play Weekend Rates' make for a great
family getaway.''
Other celebrities in the campaign include David Copperfield (for Marriott Hotels, Resorts & Suites), Robin
Leach (for Courtyard by Marriott) and Jeff Probst (for Fairfield Inn). Each spot ends with ``Your Marriott Awaits''
and a toll-free reservations number.
``Uniting our portfolio of brands under the umbrella of 'Your Marriott Awaits' offers us the opportunity to aggressively
and effectively promote all of our businesses,'' said John Marriott, executive vice president, sales and marketing,
Marriott International. ``The advertising's distinctive use of spokespeople both separates our message from the
lodging category's typical 'product shot' approach and helps underline the variety of options Marriott offers travelers
in location, pricing and style.''
Added Deborah Fell, vice president, marketing strategy for Marriott, ``Relevant surprise is a key element in the
campaign. Each of our spokespeople is unexpected but not arbitrary. The spot, in which David Copperfield stars,
for instance, revolves around a suggested romantic weekend getaway. Who better than David Copperfield to illustrate
the magic of a romantic getaway. Our agency, McCann, did an excellent job positioning Marriott's various brands
and developing a creative execution to deliver the message.''
Like the television campaign, the print campaign provides witty motivation for weekend getaways from unexpected
sources, specifically inanimate objects ranging from a television set to a kitchen sponge.
The campaign is the first from McCann-Erickson NY since the agency was awarded the Marriott business earlier this
year.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading worldwide hospitality company with nearly 2,400 operating
units in the United States and 59 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises
hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites,
Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership
resorts under the Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Horizons brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides
furnished corporate housing through its ExecuStay by Marriott division; and operates conference centers. Other
Marriott businesses include senior living communities and services and wholesale food distribution. The company
is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 154,000 employees. In fiscal year 2000, Marriott International
reported systemwide sales of $19.8 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit the web site at
http://www.marriott.com .
SOURCE: Marriott International, Inc.