SpaCast Staff Post
This week's staff meeting at Spa Index Media turned lively when the topic turned to the social networking platform of Twitter, and the trend called #LuxuryChat, which takes place the third Wednesday of every month.
Our principal, Kevin McClain, has long been a proponent of Twitter (in fact, he was the first user among our staff), reads each and every one of our Twitter posts, and frequently tweets a little something to remind us that while we're busy spotlighting spa specials, grand openings, recommendations, healthy spa recipes and such, trending is going on in the social media arena that we need to examine more closely.
McClain leaned forward and pricked up his ears when our Twitter Staff announced that Simon F. Cooper (@SimonFCooper) President of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company (@RitzCarltonCSR @RitzCarltonPR), was the special guest for July's #luxurychat.
"You're witnessing a tipping point for luxury brands in social media" he said. "If Simon Cooper of The Ritz-Carlton can spend an hour to answer a salvo of questions from consumers and industry professionals, CEOs of other luxury brands are going to be hard-pressed to excuse not doing so."
"Won't they just say 'we've never chatted up our luxury goods and we don't need to start now' or something like that?" we asked.
"Sure, and reveal themselves to not be forward thinking, or to reveal they see no value in socially engaging entrepreneurs, brands, clients, friends and followers in a consumer enterprise." he replied. "The Ritz has always engaged its guests. It's just using smart, new tools to do so."
He also added "Luxury travel has been hit hard in our industry. Incredibly, SPA -- health through water -- has become a dirty word, we all know that. Event planners are saying 'take the word spa off your resort's name on my invoicing or I won't book my convention with you this year'."
"Luxury brands have to be careful to balance hospitality viewed through a social lens and the concept of delivering luxury -- without apologizing for it. Cooper's example shows an iconoclastic global luxury brand taking a new tack, using a new tool, to expand on what they've always done -- demonstrate unwavering luxury hospitality and showing that it's approachable. 'Welcome to my luxury brand. At the Ritz, as my guest, you have more than luxury. You have my ear'."
So what does "luxury" even mean and why do we need to chat and tweet about it?
It means many things to many people, so we'll borrow a line from Supreme Court Justice William Brennan and say "We know it when we see it."
In #luxurychat, you had in a one-hour time frame, nearly 200 hundred people, from writers to consumers to marketing representatives, engaging one another on a virtual tree branch, projecting not simply luxury trends they observe in the industry, but discussing those trends directly with a CEO of a luxury brand. A luxury mash-up in a fast-paced classroom. Take what you need from it, and leave the rest.
Take a look at some of Cooper's responses to many questions posed during the #luxurychat (as limited by the 140 character format, of course):
- What value do I see in social media? ENGAGEMENT!
- It's exactly what we have always focused on as an organization. Engaging with our guests.
- Social media provides us with so many new channels with which to communicate with people who want to know more about our brand.
- If someone takes the time to send us any kind of [negative] comment, we view that as an opportunity to review and improve.
- We use all channels available and hope that we are seen to be not only an aspirational brand, but approachable too.
- We are always looking to introduce our brand to new audiences. Multi-generational, Multi-cultural, Multi-lingual, you name it!
McClain has long been involved with socially responsible causes, sponsors socially responsible entrepreneurs, and admires The Ritz-Carlton brand for their dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility through their Community Footprints and Giveback Getaways . "Cooper and the Ritz just 'get it.' They use social media not solely for financial motives, but to assure that guests and contacts alike get the best experience possible when interacting with their brand. I don't define that as simply 'being social.' I define that as luxury."
Special acknowledgments and thanks to the equally forward-thinking moderators of the Twitter #LuxuryChat:
@EliteTravelGal
@LuxuryPRGal
@TierraFilhiol
@MissSmartFlyer
@luxmextrvlchica
@leyla_a
@LuxeTiffany
For more information about the July Luxury Chat click here
