GLOBAL WINS AWARDS FOR 2 CAMPAIGNS IN MOST PRESTIGIOUS TRAVEL MARKETING COMPETITION

Global Will Be Honored at Adrian Awards Gala for Its Turkish Tourism and Lufthansa Campaigns

NEW YORK, NY (November 17, 2009) – The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will grant awards to two campaigns by Global Advertising Strategies in its 53^rd annual Adrian Awards Competition – “Times Square Domination” for the Turkish Culture and Tourist Office as part of their “Unlimited Turkey” campaign, and “Lufthansa Movie Night” for the German airline. 

The Adrian Awards is the largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition globally, considered by many as the ‘Oscars of the travel marketing community.’ Global takes home the silver and bronze for its work driving visitors to Turkey and boosting bookings for Lufthansa.

The Turkish Culture and Tourist Office chose Global for its international travel knowledge in order to promote its “Unlimited Turkey” campaign.  Global responded with the creation of “Times Square Domination,” bringing Turkey for the first time ever to the heart of Times Square with dueling digital displays on the 22-story Reuters sign and the 7-story Nasdaq tower wrap-around.  With 19,200 sq. ft. of interactive power, vibrant true-life colors, and fast transitions, “Times Square Domination” towered over crowds below with a mix of video footage and image sequences promoting the diversity of Turkey’s offerings, from upscale experiences in Istanbul to ruins and natural wonders.  The campaign saw foot traffic averaging 1.4 million people per day, running 180 daily for a full month.  Interviews conducted at the site elicited responses such as, “I didn’t know Turkey offered so many varied adventures,” and, “I really want to visit NOW.”

“Turkey can proudly say something that almost no other major European destination can,” said Hasan Zongur, director of the Turkish Culture and Tourist Office.  “Travelers from the United States, despite the recession and its effect on the travel industry, are up…For the period of January 1 through April 30, 2009, Turkey welcomed 106,903 American tourists; during the same period in 2008, 104,374 Americans visited Turkey. The uptick is an increase of 2.42 percent.”

For Lufthansa, Global created “Lufthansa Movie Night,” a highly innovative marketing promotion designed to build awareness of the German carrier’s flight offerings to India, grow its South Asian-American database, and spike sales via South Asian travel agents.  The timeline for the campaign was set around Diwali, one of the most important festivals for the South Asian market, and the promotion was packaged as a “Diwali gift from Lufthansa.”  Diwali is an Indian festival during which families gather to celebrate and enjoy different activities together. With “Lufthansa Movie Night,” families were invited to enjoy a Bollywood movie of their choice at one of twelve selected theaters around the country by first registering on http://www.lufthansamovienight.com/.

According to Dirk Janzen, Director of Leisure & Online Sales, Lufthansa N.A., the campaign saw a significant ROI: “Advanced bookings to India for the next six months are up nearly 30% compared with last year. Without a doubt, our marketing activities and efforts have made a strong contribution toward this success.”

In honor of these successes, HSMAI will pay tribute to Global Advertising Strategies during the 20^th annual HSMAI Adrian Awards Gala – a black-tie affair attended by more than 1,000 hospitality, travel and tourism marketing executives – on Feb. 1, 2010 at the New York Marriott Marquis. This year’s contest attracted nearly 1,100 entries from around the world, with entries judged by top executives from all sectors of the industry.

ABOUT:  HSMAI is the hospitality industry source for knowledge, community, and recognition for leaders committed to professional development, sales growth, revenue optimization, marketing, and branding.   With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events such as the Adrian Awards. In addition to celebrating award-winning work in the travel marketing industry, the Gala also honors lifetime achievement and the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.” For more information on HSMAI, visit http://www.hsmai.org/.