Customer Expo 2018 featured a breakout session to discuss brand collaboration. The last to speak was Toyin Powell, Director of Member Acquisition and Early Engagement Strategy for Wyndham Hotel Group. She discussed her company’s approach to brand collaboration.
“We have an interesting affinity within our membership for people who like NASCAR,” she said. Seizing on this, the company made a partnership with Roush Fenway Racing, which Powell stated, “has been phenomenally successful.”
The partnership enables Wyndham to market directly to Roush Fenway’s fans, most conspicuously through the Wyndham Rewards Ford car at the races. Other equipment, such as the suits worn by the driver and crew, carry the brand’s name as well.
The NASCAR collaboration has also increased social media impressions. Powell said, “We’ve driven over 92 million.”
This partnership has also enabled Wyndham to offer a variety of VIP experiences to its members. These experiences include everything from VIP seating, “access to the drivers, access to the cars, [and] depending on where the race location is we’ll actually have the car drive to a local motel.” These offers each make for a unique experience, as members get a chance to engage directly with their favorite sport.
Further engaging customers through collaboration, Wyndham launched Motor to Miami, a sweepstakes that offers the chance to win a VIP race weekend in Miami, Florida. The promotion has had over 45,000 entries, and with that success, the brand plans to hold similar sweepstakes for future races.
Wyndham also has a program called Race Day Activation. The day before a race, the promotion enables members to go to the racetrack and meet the drivers and see the branded car up close. One particular Race Day Activation in Denver engaged 5,000 people.