Building wraps at construction sites aren’t new. But a nine-metre interactive ‘Sneak Peek Wall’ designed by Jupiter Drawing Room in Cape Town for the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice goes several steps further.
Guests and brand ambassadors are invited to ‘sneak a peek’ at the renovations taking place at the quirky hotel renowned for its off-the-wall decor, outrageous loos and (often alcoholic) milkshakes. But what they think will be the construction site is actually a display of unusual and humorous images synonymous with the hotel’s personality. At the same time, they are invited to engage and share their décor ideas to the Protea Hotels team via Facebook and Twitter.
“Protea Hotel Fire & Ice’s clientele have come to know and love the unusual details and story telling the hotel provides,” says Ross Chowles, executive creative director, adding that it was important to embrace the refurbishment, instead of steering the guest’s attention elsewhere.
“We wanted this to come through at all times. In addition to the Sneak Peak Wall, guests are also able to receive updates via a microsite, Facebook and Twitter. We are also encouraging guests to tweet their décor suggestions and ideas to the hotel (@FireandIceCT ) for consideration with the hashtag #MoreFireMoreIce. It’s a refurbishment that encourages open communication between our fans and guests leveraging the power of new media and social to generate talkability.”
Nicholas Barenblatt, group marketing manager of Protea Hotels, says that the creative execution by the Jupiter Drawing Room team is as playful and irreverent as the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! brand. “The creative is witty and above all engaging. As much as it can be an overused term in marketing, this campaign has truly engaged our market and delivered on our brand ethos.”
The new design and look of the public spaces will be revealed on 1 September 2014.
