Ch. 16 Integrated Marketing Communications

To bring attention and interest to its products, Hard Rock Café advertises to its target market: tourist. This can be tourist traveling internationally or domestic. These tourists may know the concept of HRC but need another reason to buy into the brand. In order for HRC to gain tourist dollars they have to build an interest in the brand. HRC knows it target market will do research before they make decisions on where they will dine out, what hotels they will stay at and what activities they will do while on vacation.

Knowing that research will be done is a helpful tool. With information on what popular web sites are used to gather information before making a purchase, HRC can directly advertise on those web sites. For example, to bring attention to a new product line like hotels and casinos, HRC will advertise on travel planning web sites such as expedia and hotwire.com. An average traveler will start their travel planning from several months to a year in advance to “shop around” and find the best prices. Over those months travelers will see many Hard Rock ads and learn more of what perks Hard Rock has to offer.

After tourists are interested in staying at a Hard Rock hotel and resort, Hard Rock must create a target market desire and action. By using glamorous photos, descriptions of the resort and special incentives Hard Rock will create a desire with the consumer making a stay at a Hard Rock property their #1 choice. By continuously pairing the hotel with the casino Hard Rock is creating a desire for something the consumer did not plan of buying.

Eventually, Hard Rock wants the consumer to make a purchase. Depending of the time of year, location and length of stay vacation packages can be several thousand dollars per person. Since it’s a large purchase, consumers may wait for prices to come down, wait for an all-inclusive package that will save them money of air fare or adjust their vacation dates to off peak times. At some point Hard Rock will advertise discounted rates for their vacation spots in order to increase purchases.