Why Travel Marketers Need to Embrace Brand Value Exchange ...

Ahh Summer?the season of baseball and barbeque. That special time of year that makes people just want to get out and travel to new, exotic locales. Yes, Summer is travel season, and when it comes to picking their hard earned vacation, there?s no doubt consumers are increasingly turning to digital platforms to help them make decisions.

So how can marketers in the travel space tap into this consumer need for travel information and, ultimately, connect with consumers to ensure their destination or venue wins out?

To be successful, brands should look beyond basic awareness campaigns and focus on creating genuine value for their consumers.? We call this concept a ?Brand Value Exchange,? and it?s based on the premise that if brands provide something of value to consumers, they?ll naturally be inclined to return the favor with their attention, intent to purchase, and loyalty.

Value to consumer can be delivered in many forms, but can essentially be grouped into three basic categories: Community Value, Utility Value, and Entertainment Value. To illustrate how each approach can be applied to the travel industry, let?s look at several brands that are applying the principles of Brand Value Exchange to their digital initiatives today.

?

1. Community Value

Community-based initiatives offer value by connecting like-minded individuals together.? Communities can be based around any interest and can be any size.? Dutch airline KLM launched a tool called ?Meet and Seat? that allows passengers to use shared social media profiles to choose seats next to others with similar interests.? The idea is that sitting next to someone whose interests you share will lead to good conversations and a more pleasant flight overall, something sure to reflect well on the airline.

?

2. Utility Value

Offering utility, by enabling consumers to better engage with their passions, is a sure-fire way to add value. Vail Resorts leveraged this tactic with the launch of?Epic Mix, a multi-platform initiative that combines Nike+ and photo scrapbooking.? The application chronicles a guest?s day on the slopes by combining performance data like altitude, speed, and distance traveled with user and professional photos.? The result is a snapshot of your epic day on the slopes, ready to be shared on your social network.? Once your friends see the excitement of a Vail Resorts vacation, how can they not want to join in too?

?

3. Entertainment Value

Finally, never overlook opportunities to give people something fun to do.? Street Art London, an art collective that offers walking tours of London?s graffiti scene, recently launched an iPhone application?that allows people to explore the thriving London scene.? The app highlights the viability of the London ?street gallery? as a tourist destination, and, the collective itself as the de-facto experts.? With the Olympics in town this year, the London street scene is sure to get interesting as artists react to the festivities, and Street Art London will be in the thick of it.

?

Brands can no longer expect consumers to engage with campaigns that demand attention but offer little to no value in return.? But, by offering a compelling value exchange, they can stand out from the pack and build loyalty and word-of-mouth that continues to drive business during the peak summer season.

?

Brian Chiger is a Strategy Director at AgencyNet?sitting at the nexus of consumer insight, brand?strategy, and digital creativity to advise clients on innovative digital solutions, including Universal Music?Group, Nickelodeon, Pencils of Promise, and 2K Sports.

?

Brian began his advertising career at powerhouse Saatchi & Saatchi, working in account service then in?Saatchi?s Strategy group for Procter & Gamble and General Mills? extensive adolescent brand portfolio.?Brian has also organized an extensive rock tour throughout the US for the ?I Have a Dream? Foundation,?a non-profit organization dedicated to the task of helping underprivileged kids achieve higher education.?Using the power of digital, Brian and his band successfully engaged high school musicians and students?nationwide.

overeem laron landry mary j blige burger king islands joe flacco 2013 nissan altima masters par 3 contest