Marriott International appoints Publicis Groupe for global media duties

Marriott International assigns Publicis Groupe’s SapientRazorfish and Spark Foundry as its official global media agency to oversee all media planning and purchasing.

“We are excited to welcome Publicis Groupe in their new, expanded role, and work together to break new ground,” said Karin Timpone, global marketing officer of Marriott International. “I also want to thank Wavemaker who has provided valuable strategic guidance in media, successfully working with us to launch several award-winning campaigns.”

The collaboration with Publicis Groupe will enhance its approach to marketing through a dedicated Marriott One Media Team, working with Marriott’s internal media teams all over the world.

After a 2016 merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott has grown to 30 brands with 6,500 hotels located in 127 countries. This scale led the company to re-evaluate both internal and partner operating models in terms of paid media.

A Global Marketing Optimization team was created internally to elevate marketing and media disciplines with greater effectiveness. Publicis Groupe, together with Marriott, will now implement the new approach to drive measurable results across its portfolio.

Added Timpone, “This is a rare opportunity to reimagine our marketing practices in the digital age, and we are confident that Publicis Groupe will help us achieve this vision. We’re combining our forces to develop cutting-edge marketing tactics that speak to individual guests worldwide. This personalization at scale will provide enormous value to our business.”

The selection of Publicis Groupe is an expansion of its on-going relationship with Marriott that began more than 15 years ago.

Publicis Groupe will optimize international marketing campaigns, personalise and localize targeted media efforts across a diverse set of markets. It will leverage pioneering technology and a forward-thinking approach to connect with consumers at the right moment in established and emerging markets. These include North America, Europe, China, Africa and Latin America.

“We believe in a media strategy fuelled by the authentic connections made at multiple touch points of consumer engagement to drive our business outcomes,” said Andy Kauffman, SVP of marketing optimization. “We’re delighted to work with Publicis Groupe who complements our strengths and deeply understands our audience, to provide personalization that elevates our brands, delivers hotel revenue, and deepens member loyalty.”