HOSPITALITY MARKETING

starwood Hotels & Resorts

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the gwen, a luxury collection hotel, Chicago

I was hired to develop the marketing strategy for the former Conrad Chicago, which was rebranded as The Gwen in September 2015 when it joined Starwood’s Luxury Collection. In this role, I established all messaging during the transition from Hilton to Starwood, and throughout the first phase of its $25-million, multi-year property enhancement that introduced a refreshed lobby and public spaces.

Located in the historic McGraw-Hill Building on the Magnificent Mile, The Gwen was named after artist Gwen Lux, who in 1929 sculpted a series of panels that still adorn the building’s façade. Embracing her boldness and artistic spirit, this new branding concept celebrated the energy and glamour of Chicago in the 1930s, while maintaining a decidedly 21st–century vibe. 

With a new brand in place, I oversaw all content and visual branding, which included website copy, printed collateral, and photography (shown below). All throughout, I maintained a consistent style and voice, while showcasing The Luxury Collection brand standards. I also established the hotel’s presence on social media and oversaw the work of an outside public relations firm, acting as the on-site media contact for site tours and stays.

 

AWARDS & PRESS 

One of my proudest career achievements was being solely responsible for developing and managing the voting campaign that helped The Gwen secure a nod as one of Travel + Leisure's Top Ten Hotels in Chicago, as part of the magazine’s annual World’s Best Awards. In addition to a social media and e-newsletter campaign, an integral part of the strategy was to engage guests with a call-to-action voting piece (below) that was distributed at turndown and at the front desk.

 
 
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I was honored to be recognized as The Gwen’s “Leader of the Quarter” for Q4 2015 and Q2 2016, but even more exciting were the awards and press accolades that the hotel itself received:

 
 
 

PHOTOS BELOW ARE FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL SHOOT I LED, FOCUSING ON POST-RENOVATION PUBLIC SPACES AND MODEL ROOMS