Luxury Travel & Lifestyle Trends

Named the Best TV Drama Series for a third year in a row at this week’s Emmy Awards, Mad Men is about an advertising agency and lifestyles of 1960s America. Its historical authenticity and visual style have boosted interest in interior design, fashion, beauty, and even cocktails of the era. So much so, there’s a Mad Men Cocktail Culture iPhone app that challenges your skills at making popular cocktails of the ’60s.  So welcome back the likes of Gin Collins, Gimlets, Cosmopolitans and classic martinis (though as far as we’re concerned, this never really went away).

And for the non-alcoholic set, who want to savor the classics, there are homemade sodas – a trend that’s in step with the growing menu trend toward simpler, more natural foods, and a rising interest in locally made.

Canyon Ranch in Miami has been serving up their homemade version since their opening, as well as Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, which just opened their new outpost in the Cayman Islands. Their ginger-lemongrass, cherry rosemary and strawberry basil sodas uses basil from their nearby vegetable garden. And while it’s not homemade locally, their Captain Eli’s Root Beer is not to be missed.

~Karen Weiner Escalera

The key card could become a thing of the past after a hotel chain announced it would allow guests to access their rooms using their smartphones. Instead of a key card, guests could download an application to their mobile device that would enable them to open their door simply by holding their phone to a sensor. If successful, this would mean that guests could choose to avoid the hassle of checking in at the front desk.

The hospitality industry is nothing if not competitive, so utilizing new technologies makes good sense as a means of differentiation. Engaging new technologies, we’ve seen Sheraton’s use of interactive tables, Mama Shelter’s installation of iMacs in every room, the Algonquin’s use of Kindles and the Townhouse Hotel’s emphasis on Twitter. The savviest now realize that achieving marketing success means figuring out how to rivet the attention of consumers obsessed with sleek mobile devices. Now continuing along this technological path comes InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, which recently announced that it is equipping its concierges with Apple’s recently launched iPad.

Social media’s proliferation has helped to advance public relations and marketing practice. Yet, despite the long distance we’ve traveled in just a short time with social media, we still have much to learn about both its potential and its limitations. So whether you’re an experienced social media user or are just developing this as a part of your communication program, we call all benefit from recognizing some common myths surrounding social media.

Exclusionary and elusive experiences still appeal to consumers and remains at the top of what is appealing and sexy in the minds of consumers, despite the recession. They want to feel as if they are a part of a select elite group, even if it’s only a temporary illusion. The more privileged a consumer feels for having access to a product or service, the more the added level of mystique will sell. Here are some nifty examples of selling the mystique factor….

Do-it-yourself retailing - personalization to the max - is coming into its own. Following in the footsteps of companies we’ve already written about that lets consumers customize their own products (dresses, handbags, lingerie and duvets, Maps, LEGOs, even original shoe art) Sydney-based online shoe retailer Shoes of Prey is leading the design-your-own trend towards stylish, custom-made women’s shoes.

Travel marketers take note: A December 2009 MarketingSherpa survey indicates that deals aren’t the top motivation for social media engagement, but users also want deeper engagement - learning about new products, features or services. Sharing interesting content that users care about, alongside the deals and discounts they have come to expect, will keep users engaged and spur them to pass along your marketing messages.

Until now, being “green” has predominantly meant selling eco-friendly products or services. But this year’s tough economy presents a new opportunity for businesses to take environmental stewardship to a new level – by helping customers buy less stuff. But it has to be the “right stuff.”

Does a resort positioning itself as sensual and hip compliment marketing efforts appealing to families? The Fontainebleau Hotel thinks so and top executive, Howard Karawan, points to outstanding sales results over the last two months as the proof that it can be done. In the marketing world, that is no small feat.

As the luxury sector struggles to make gains (like everyone else), marketers are trying to put a positive spin on an unpopular topic – luxury. Quiet elegance is the mandate of the day and it’s a jungle out there trying to figure out how to market luxury tastefully. And who can argue when luxury is tied to a charitable cause?