One creative journey, a thousand outcomes
#LeicaIxianProject
In 2016, Panadvert undertook the digital marketing of SENTIDO Ixian Grand & SENTIDO Ixian All Suites, two 5-star resort hotels on the West Coast of Rhodes Island.
Aiming to apply the best possible practices so as to reach a global marketplace, we focused on the hotel’s communication strategy, with an emphasis on the creation of original and valuable content.
We came to the conclusion, that the resort’s luxurious, relaxing and entertaining experience, together with the unique beauty of Rhodes, needed to be communicated in the best possible way (i.e. via captivating images). However, there were no such photos at our disposal. As a result, we needed to come up with an original solution while operating within budget constraints.
This is where the #LeicaIxianProject begins…
Aim
Primarily, our goal was to create a series of high-quality and engaging photos with a fresh point of view.
The idea was to produce excellent images of all facilities with a ‘lived-in’ and vibrant feel to them.
Furthermore, the project envisioned a creative approach to photography: a team of photographers would spend several days at SENTIDO Ixian Grand & SENTIDO Ixian All Suites, taking photos, discussing, and brainstorming in order to portray the resort’s defining characteristics in the best possible way.
Strategy
Where would we find a team of enthusiastic photographers who could effectively work together and generate the vast selection of photos we needed?
The answer was clear: collaborate with one of the leading photography schools in Greece (Leica Academy) and form a team of photographers who would truly ‘capture’ every moment at SENTIDO Ixian Grand & SENTIDO Ixian All Suites.
Students from Leica Academy, seeking a hands-on experience in the field of tourism photography, were going to receive a sponsorship to travel to Rhodes and photograph the resort.
The hotel immediately agreed with our proposal and without a second thought, covered all project costs.
Implementation
#LeicaIxianProject involved 14 students and 2 professors. The team traveled to Rhodes and spent 5 days of endless creativity at SENTIDO Ixian Grand & SENTIDO Ixian All Suites. The hotel sponsored all costs: from plane tickets and accommodation to meals and transportation.
Each day began at 5am and ended at 11pm. During this time, the group took numerous photos depicting the hotel’s facilities, customers’ everyday experiences, and the island’s beautiful surroundings.
The students’ schedule was tight and full of challenging locations and different types of shots. This was ideal, as they became acquainted with hotel photography– something new to them- a combination of architecture, marketing, portrait, snapshot, lifestyle and food photography.
Every day, during the afternoon break (6 to 8pm) all material was review, discussed and commented on by professors and students. The team also received valuable feedback from experienced marketing and sales executives, and from Panadvert’s Account Manager. This way, the photographers were in direct contact with the industry’s requirements and the hotel’s needs, throughout the entire project.
Results
Over 80.000 photos were taken and approximately 15 hours of video footage was filmed, highlighting the resort’s uniqueness alongside the island’s charm.
Throughout their stay (May 4-9 2016), participants posted a series of ‘backstage’ photos on Facebook and Instagram with hashtag #leicaixianproject, instantly creating buzz around the hotel.
Furthermore, the project included shots of nearby towns, sites and beaches (namely: Lindos, Mandraki, Monte Smith, Traganou etc.). These photos have added extra value to the hotel’s online presence, since they are communicated as touristic attractions surrounding the resort, thus completing its guests’ perception of Rhodes as a destination.
Once the project was completed, a Facebook photo contest took place: members of the team posted their photos and the audience voted on their favorite ones. The prize was a 5-day summer vacation for two, at SENTIDO Ixian Grand & SENTIDO Ixian All Suites. The contest was promoted separately and targeted towards professional and amateur photographers from all over the world, attracting users to the hotel’s page and website.
Overall, #LeicaIxianProject was a complete success: the generated material was impressive, the teamwork outstanding, and furthermore the island’s tourism was boosted with a rich collection of original photographs.
