Hospitality Leaders Discuss Marketing Challenges at Roundtable Sponsored by Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research

Ithaca, NY, Marketing executives from leading hospitality companies and marketing professors from the Cornell Hotel School gathered recently at the School to discuss the challenges they face in building and marketing their brands. This was the first Hospitality Marketing Roundtable held by the School’s Center for Hospitality Research.

“We were pleased to host what was a spirited discussion on the subjects most important to marketing leaders as they seek to build and enhance their brands,” said Lisa Klein Pearo, professor of marketing at the Hotel School, who chaired the event. “It was most productive to have faculty members and industry leaders together to share different perspectives and to learn from one another.”

In a segment led by Professor Pearo, attendees discussed the evolution of the merchant model, online branding, and online consumer behavior. While there was much debate about the long-term viability of the merchant model, participants agreed that brands could benefit from treating these intermediaries as partners. One participant pointed out that allowing intermediaries to focus on the customers it can most easily reach and influence allows brands to pursue other market segments, and thereby maximize distribution.

In a discussion on branding led by Professor Chekitan Dev, participants agreed that a key to any strategy is making sure that employees understand the strategy and abide by it in their work. “Are there enough consumers who have the potential to be passionate about your brand, or should we be focusing on employee rather than consumer passion?” asked one attendee.

In a session led by Professors Rob Kwortnik and Gabe Piccoli on customer relationship management, attendees agreed that customer data can help providers respond to known guest needs. The point was made, however, that it is not yet clear that collecting data can be helpful in anticipating guest needs. On a related point, the group discussed the sometimes-invasive nature of data collection and the need to collect data in ways acceptable to the consumer.

“The roundtable was a welcome opportunity to step outside of our daily routines and discuss relevant issues and trends,” said Thatcher G. Brown, executive director, brand marketing at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

The School’s Center for Hospitality Research sponsors several roundtables each year on varied subjects such as human resources, law, design and information technology. For more information about sponsoring or participating in an event, contact Joe Strodel, Center managing director, at 607.255.4646, or at js343@cornell.edu.