BigBusinessTube

When I started college 14 short years ago, my archaic e-mail inbox was filled with forwarded “humor” lists (100 Ways to tell you’re stuck in the ‘80s), creepy warnings (Child dies after being injected with a heroin-filled hypodermic needle left in a McDonald's ball pit) and hoaxes (Congress to charge postage for e-mails). They were usually written in all caps and contained a lot of exclamation points followed by an order to forward the message to all friends and family and any other unlucky souls in your address book.

These days, it’s links to videos that are shared. And a lot of the videos are on YouTube (If you made your way to this blog, I doubt it’s necessary to explain that YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload and view video clips).
The video clips are a lot more entertaining than the lists and much less annoying than the hoaxes.

Lately I’ve received a few YouTube links to videos from hotel companies. Hotels are just one of the many industries populating the site with advertising.

Performer David Elsewhere is using his pop dancing moves to promote TownePlace Suites By Marriott’s new design (viewed more than 19,000 times). It’s a smart move by Marriott because Elsewhere already was a popular performer on YouTube. Yesterday, Best Western launched Best Western TV on YouTube with the intention of reaching younger travelers. YouTube comedian Kevin Nalty helped produce an online show for Holiday Inn Express last year. Tool around YouTube and you can find videos of everything from tours of virtual prototypes (aloft) to commercials for individual Hilton properties.

Advertising, like everything else, is becoming more interactive. And obviously hotel companies realize that word-of-mouth is one of the marketing tools they need to leverage. Best Western is kicking off the launch of its YouTube site with a contest called the Worst Summer Job Ever, where they’re asking people to submit videos of their worst summer job experience. The winner gets an all-expense paid vacation.

This new aspect of marketing puts some control in the hands of consumers and gets them involved and talking to one another. It’s easy to find negative feedback—including video—on the Internet from disgruntled hotel guests. Now hotel companies are taking the initiative to seek positive videos from guests. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is asking guests to “Share your story” by uploading videos to its website.

Some of the video content is on hotel company’s websites:
-InterContinental Hotels Group’s www.intercontinentalvideo.com features episodes of InterContinental concierges talking about their hotels and their cities.
-Starwood Hotels & Resorts launched Spg.tv, a site with hours of videos about its properties and their locations.

These travelogues take trip planning to a new level with some cool footage and local tour guides.

Sometimes I wonder who has the time—or the inclination—to watch all these videos. But I’ll take them over a chain letter any day. By the way, if you don't forward this blog to 25 of your best friends within the next two minutes, you're going to have bad luck for 10 YEARS!!!!