Case Study for Agency
03-1015031-259

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

Beginning with three urban hotels, our task was to enhance perceptions
related to current properties while broadening its appeal to new
consumer segments important to the future success of the company's
domestic and international expansion. This meant reshaping the brand in
a way that would develop relevancy and reservations interest among
leisure travelers as well as business travelers, among group meeting
planners as well as wedding planners, for resorts as well as city
properties, for secondary markets (Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis) as
well as international destinations (San Francisco, New York, Hong Kong,
Sydney). In short, the brand needed to be relevant to a much broader
spectrum of upscale travelers yet maintain a very select, elite image.

The agency developed a positioning and identity for the brand intrinsic
to luxury. We identified the brand with the key trends and perspectives
of our target and and over the years made evolutionary changes in
response to changes in their perceptions about luxury.

Early on, the advertising adopted the look of a leader, using size and
color to maximize impact. The selection and the manner media was used
was also important because, as is especially true in the luxury
category, secondary or indirect targets often profoundly influence
target consumer attitudes and perceptions.

The agency was always conscious of the tactical needs of each
individual hotel and recognized that integrated promotions with key
partners and suppliers actually enhanced overall brand imagery while
generating short-term results.

The agency's relationship with The Ritz-Carlton continued for fifteen
years until it was sold to the Marriott Corporation. During that
fifteen year period, The Ritz-Carlton expanded from 3 to 34 properties,
it became recognized as a service leader and widely acclaimed as the
premier hotel chain in the world. Revenue per available room (REVPAR)
steadily increased and by 1998, it led the industry. And, The
Ritz-Carlton “lion” became not only an icon for the brand, but an icon
for luxury

Bush's Baked Beans

Our work for Bush Baked Beans provides an example of our ability to
create strong, differentiated identities for our clients’ brands.

Bush Brothers approached the agency expressing interest in our
developing advertising for their Baked Beans to strengthen trade
relations, increase brand share and broaden distribution.

The baked bean category was stagnant. And, well-known brands such as
Campbell’s, Green Giant, Van Camps and B & M dominated. However, these
brands had little advertising support and blind taste tests indicated a
2:1 preference for Bush’s. There was an opportunity to develop and own
a taste position for the brand.

Since taste is the most important product benefit in virtually every
food category, most food products make taste claims. The challenge for
the agency was to dimensionalize taste in a way that was compelling,
pre-emptive, and ownable long term.

The answer lay in the inherent truth of the product. The Bush family
recipe had been guarded for three generations; it was “Bush’s secret
family recipe”. The ingredients were of the highest quality. And, it
was validated by research.

The agency recommended a family member, Jay Bush, to deliver the
message on television and modifications to their packaging to
incorporate the advertised tag line “No one bakes them better.”

In Year 1, a spot market TV approach was utilized balanced between new
markets and “developing” markets as defined by BDI/CDI criteria
adjusted for CPP. In year 2 and thereafter, network television became
the prime medium.

In two years, Bush’s Baked Beans accomplished the following:
- Brand Awareness, Total Unaided: 16.1% to 35.7%
- Brand Awareness, Total: 40.9% to 74.3%
- Ad Awareness, Unaided: 4.5% to 16.7%
- Ad Awareness, Total: 13.2% to 30.3%

In three years, Bush’s share of the baked beans category increased 69%,
from 42% to 71%.

The agency and Bush Brothers were awarded a Gold Effie for this work
and results.