Hotels.com helped Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness fulfill his dream of performing stand-up comedy in its first docuseries, “Hotels.comedy.” The 10-part series is a subtle reminder to consumers that booking 10 nights earns one free.
The first episode, “10 Nights with Jonathan Van Ness” debuted at a Reward Night Premiere Party on November 5, where Van Ness presented a screening at 1 Hotels Brooklyn Bridge. Hotels.com presented the show to the rest of us “beautiful people” on its YouTube channel Monday.
Van Ness earned a reputation on Queer Eye for his positive attitude and bubbly personality, which ties into Hotel.com’s “You do you and get rewarded” brand message. The brand sponsored his debut into stand-up comedy, documenting the journey both on-stage and in his hotel room after each show.
Hotel.com’s “You do you and get rewarded” campaign launched five months ago with a series of spots starring Captain Obvious. The campaign likens earning a free night to activities like dancing with teddy bears, goat yoga or snuggling in bed with a bunch of pugs.
With its new docuseries, Hotels.com has the potential to appeal to a number of audiences, not the least of which being fans of Van Ness and Queer Eye. The Netflix series is a reboot of the Emmy Award-winning reality show and debuted with a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes (it currently sits at 93 percent.)
According to a recent study by Community Marketing and Insights, 45 percent of US respondents said that being LGBTQ-friendly is a top concern for picking a travel destination. Seeing Van Ness welcomed and cheered by Hotels.com and its attendees may convince audiences that the company and by extension, the hotels it books, are safe for the high-spending LGBTQ demographic.
The US hotel industry experienced growth last year in occupancy and average daily rate (ADR), according to Nasdaq. Modest demand growth led to a three percent jump for revenue per available room (RevPAR) over 2016—good news for an industry being disrupted by Airbnb.
https://youtu.be/MwQNiJzE4y0
