Best Western Casts Bellhops as Ad Stars

Looking to truly stand out with its ad claim 0f "Across the street from ordinary," Best Western International will try to inject its brand with more personality in the form of two spokes-bellhops who star in four new TV spots from BBDO West, L.A.

The overly conscientious bellhops first appeared in November 1997, pushing a bed through city streets and along a fishing dock to highlight the Phoenix-based hotel chain's Commitment to quality and service. Starting this week, as the fully fledged stars of the national campaign, the dryly comedic Best Western employees speak for the first time and have been given names: Brian and Walter.

In one spot, the pair are delivering messages to hotel guests. Brian warns Walter about an important, buttoned-down business executive staying in one of the rooms. As he slides a message under the door, the guest, wearing a Viking helmet and bath towel, opens it. The guest then hollers in delight--he has secured 50-yard-line seats for a football game--and dances down the hallway. A spot targeting families shows the pair arranging poolside lairs. Walter stops to respond to a child's call for Marco Polo. By he end of the ad, he has been tagged and is in the water, fully dressed, with his eyes closed. Another has them, anomalously, dryly discussing their golf scores, one despairing after shooting an 12, then the ad panning back to reveal his game's stigma, the big windmill on the putt-putt course. Print and radio ads supplement the TV effort.

"By letting them speak and interact with the guests, we were able to give them personalities that reflect Best Western's," said John Rage, BBDO svp/creative director.

BBDO won the $18 million account a year and a half ago; since then, estimated annual billings have grown to about $20 million.

The chain, however, has a long way to go before it matches category leaders Holiday Inn Worldwide (with an estimated $8 billion in revenue) and Cendant Hotels (at an estimated $4.7 billion). It ranks 45th in revenues, at $145 million, per industry reports.

COPYRIGHT 1998 BPI Communications, Inc.
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