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June 13, 2014

The Ritz-Carlton: A Love Letter

warby

Every once in a while I have the pleasure of learning from a brand that truly “gets it”; one that responds to and caters to consumers while deftly retaining control of its core story and directing future growth. At Wednesday night’s American Marketing Association DC Chapter event, “Marketing in 2014 and Beyond,” The Ritz-Carlton’s Clayton Ruebensaal waxed prophetic about trends in marketing while still staying true to The Ritz-Carlton’s core values.

Here are just a few of his words of wisdom:

  • Content is still king: “Our investment in content is skyrocketing,” noted Ruebensaal, whose “Let Us Stay With You Campaign” recently expanded to include “Six Word Wows”: a consumer story-gathering strategy inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s famous six-word story.
  • Woo your audience: While content may be king, brands should approach social media like one might a date; it’s important to romance the relationship and present curated, valuable pieces of information rather than providing a constant stream of less intriguing content.
  • Brands will remain fundamental: “If you want a premium for what you’re selling, you better believe in brand,” said Ruebensaal, about whether “branding” as we know it will continue to matter to marketers in the future.
  • Don’t throw the brand out with the bathwater: While there’s no denying the importance of marketing tactics that show trackable ROI, there are some more intangible elements — like loyalty and advocacy — that are still incredibly valuable.

Clayton, let us just say we share your vision (and thanks for the compliment on Drew’s fancy frames —pun definitely intended). At Delucchi Plus, we’re always on the hunt for that core brand story, helping clients uncover that key narrative that truly sets them apart, then bringing that story to life through engaging pieces of content distributed across the appropriate channels.

Allow me to close with a six word wow of my own, inspired by our fearless leader, Chris Delucchi:

Time to live at The Ritz?