Starwood Hotels & Resorts Dominates 3rd Annual L2 Digital IQ Index: Hotels
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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Dominates 3rd Annual L2 Digital IQ Index: Hotels

Boosts Digital Expertise with Enhanced Mobile Web Experience and New Languages

STAMFORD, Conn. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Apr. 9, 2013 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) dominated the third annual L2 Digital IQ Index: Hotels taking five of the top 10 spots in the 2013 index, which measured the digital competence of 57 hotel brands around the world on more than 675 data points. W Hotels topped the list as the sole "genius" in the industry while the Westin, The Luxury Collection and St. Regis bands were in the top 10 with Le Meridien brand ranking 19.

"At Starwood, digital isn't about keeping pace, but leading in the industry, especially when it comes to knowing how our guests are using technology and what will help them make their travel decisions," said Phil McAveety, Executive Vice President & Chief Brand Officer for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "When we launch our brands on any platform, we keep guest needs at the forefront while keeping true to the unique personalities of our nine iconic brands."

Building on its digital prowess, the company launched an enhanced mobile web experience across all nine brands today. The redesign balances the beauty Starwood guests equate with each of the company's unique brands and the ease of use required to make smart, fast bookings.

Guests visiting any of Starwood's brand sites via any smartphone device will find each individual brand essence reflected including, beautiful photography and brand and property-specific social links. Through mobile, guests can leverage their device's GPS to identify nearby properties and customer contact center information based on the guest's geolocation. By logging into their SPG account, mobile web visitors can instantly see their account summary in eight languages.

"All of Starwood's brands benefit from the investments and expertise of the enterprise; customer service offerings on site, deft CRM, centralized email marketing and an enhanced mobile platform make the whole greater than the sum of its parts," said Scott Galloway, Founder, L2, Professor of Clinical Marketing, NYU Stern. "W Hotels, the only 'Genius' brand in our index, has its own distinct style - original music, design, and fashion site content. In addition, W boasts the industry's largest Instagram community and produced distinct content via the 'Four Stories' film contest (with Intel)."

Time and again, Starwood sets the pace in hospitality from industry-leading design to leveraging the newest technology and platforms. The company was the first in hospitality to leverage state-aware design in its iPhone app, meaning the app provides guests with customized content based on which of the company's more than 1,100 hotels at which the guest is planning to stay. Starwood was the first to host unedited user reviews on property sites. The company has translated its sites and apps into hundreds of languages with Arabic and Russian being the most recent and has a dedicated team identifying social media platforms that resonate all around the globe.

"The digital landscape is constantly evolving so our digital work needs to be fast, efficient and smart," said Clay Cowan, VP Global Digital for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "We are honored to be recognized for our achievements and thrilled that our work is resonating with our guests."

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,134 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About L2

L2 is a think tank for digital innovation. Founded by NYU Stern Clinical Professor of Marketing Scott Galloway, L2 helps prestige brands navigate the digital marketing landscape through events, research, and advisory services. The L2 Digital IQ Index® is the global, seminal benchmark for digital performance of brands and the largest and most robust study of its kind. Rankings are published annually across industries including Fashion, Specialty Retail, Sportswear, Watches & Jewelry, Beauty, Travel, and Fragrance. For more information, visit: http://www.l2thinktank.com.

Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Media Contact:

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Maire Griffin
203-964-5994
maire.griffin@starwoodhotels.com

 

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