Objective: To increase travel agent call volume and to encourage them to channel calls to a new reservations center.

Strategy: As part of its decentralization program, the advertiser established a new Eastern Reservations Center at Winston-Salem, N.C. The company hoped that traveil agents would use its new "Hotline 800" number to make lodging reservations calls, but an investigation indicated that few were doing so. The hotel chain management ordered plastic Rolodex cards imprinted witht he hotline nimber and elected to use print advertising to distribute them to the target audience of 25,000 travel agents. Space was bought in two trade magazines, and the cards were tipped onto inserts. The ad insert also contained a postage-paid reply card with which readers could order additional Roladex cards for their offices.

Results: According to Best Western's advertisiong vice president, research indicated 100 percent awareness of the "Hotline 800" number among travel agents had been achieved; 95 percent of all travel agent calls came through the hotline number; 1,733 reply cards requesting additional Roladex cards were received, and the chain's share of the travel agent market increased dramatically.


 
Advertising Specialities

Pasado Productions
P.O. Box 640
Lake Isabella CA,93240
Phone - 760/379-2465 / Fax 760/379-5756