THE EMERSON INN & SPA
A world of luxury in a country setting.
Project
Brand Development, Website, Marketing Planning, Advertising, Direct Marketing, Collateral, Photography
Client
The Emerson Inn & Spa wanted to be recognized as an upscale luxury inn with food and spa services that were competitive with the region’s finest small luxury properties. Situated in a magnificent forest preserve and providing five-star service, this unique travel destination had everything it needed to compete...except the brand awareness.
Challenge
As a relative newcomer in the New York Catskills market, The Emerson needed to make a name for itself. The inn’s primary audience was residents of New York City with disposable income, however these travelers were unaware that such a unique and luxurious property existed just 2 hours outside the city. Driving bookings during the high seasons of summer, fall and winter turned out to be easy. The true challenge was keeping occupancy rates high during the shoulder seasons.
Solution
After developing the brand identity and its attributes, the final step was to let the property’s opulence speak for itself. Saltwater developed targeted marketing plans to generate awareness amongst New York-based leisure travelers, spa enthusiasts, foodies and corporate travel planners. The key to the success of the campaigns was the stunning photography that, when served to one of the target audiences, showcased the portion of the once-humble inn’s $24 million dollar renovation most relevant to that audience. Having one of the sungature photos be selected for the cover of Wine Spectator Magazine didn’t hurt, either. Once The Emerson was seen as a destination in and of itself, shoulder season slumps were a thing of the past.
