Archive for the ‘Hospitality News’ Category
A Trio of Terrific Summer Wines
Posted by Bob Prewitt | Filed under Hospitality News, Tips and Trends Series, Travel
Lois Gruner Veltliner (2008) Austria – medium weight, dry white, fruit forward. GV is the historic, legendary white varietal of Austria. The producer here is Fred Loimer Winery—one of the most highly regarded, artisanal winemakers in Austria. This wine is a great chicken wine and also goes really well with firm bodied fish and Asian wontons, dumplings and meat stir-frys. It holds up to spicy foods too. Great, great value at about $13.50.
Chateau de Montfort Vouvray (2008) France – slightly sweet with a big acid backdrop. I love Chenin Blanc, and this is a great representation of the varietal. You have to have a palate for sweetness to appreciate this wine, but if you do, you will adore it. It attacks with honey and cantaloupe and pears and Grand Marnier. Try it with Asian food or cheese, or just sip it on a pleasant weekend afternoon while you sit by the pool. About $15.
Gruet Sparkling Wines (non vintage, all types) – Albuquerque, New Mexico – the best sparkling wines made in the USA. In fact, in my opinion, these wines are as good as any sparkling wine made in the world outside of Champagne. I am particularly fond of the Blanc de Noirs. They go with anything and everything foodwise—I mean it—and the price/value relationship is unbelievable. About $13.75.
Read What’s Happening in the Wine World, Part II
What’s Happening in the Wine World, Part I
Let me tell you.
Wine is a significant component of the “Hospitality and Travel Lifestyle,” which partially explains our interest in them here at Dana Communications. Another reason we are interested is that we like to drink them. Duh!
Three of us actually have formal training in matters oenological. Eric Welsh’s family owned a prestigious wine store in Lambertville, New Jersey, where he spent a lot of time growing up. Isabelle Tourneau writes about regional foods and has the passion for food and wine pairing that one expects in a professional foodie. I am a founding member of the Society of Wine Educators, which happened when I worked for Wine Institute—the trade organization for California wineries.
So I decided to call around and ask my wine friends, “What is the most significant thing happening in the Wine Industry today?”
The first person I talked with is Robin Kelly O’Connor. RKO is presently Director of Sales and Education for Sherry Lehman, one of the truly remarkable retail stores in the country (located at 59th Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan). Previously, Robin spent over a decade working as Trade Liaison for Bordeaux Wines. Robin has an energy and passion for learning about wines like no one else I know, and he has gifted chemical senses—thus a great palate. On numerous occasions, I have seen him correctly identify a wine from a region that most people in the room had never heard of.
His response was, “2009 Bordeaux. They are equivalent to, if not better than, the 2005 and 1982 vintages. And maybe deeper than the 1961 and 1929 vintages.” This is major stuff, as those four years are considered the benchmarks by which all wines are compared, not just Bordeaux.
Then I called Bruce Cass, one of America’s greatest wine educators and writers. Bruce studied pre-medicine at Stanford and uses this scientific training to make the chemistry and biology of wine accessible to the layman. Attending one of his classes is a remarkable experience, as he has an enthralling way of making the complexities of wine understandable. He has also trained his chemical senses so that his palate is world class.
“The ongoing development of direct shipping is my first thought,” said Bruce when I asked about what is happening. “After 20 years of battles, we can now say that we can legally ship across state lines—almost. The Supreme Court will ultimately make the final decision, and that might take another 20 years. But in the last year, we have seen a major movement toward direct shipping.”
He also commented on the wine-consuming behavior of the Millennial Generation and how that is leading to a dramatic increase in wine intake in America. “Millennials drink a lot more wine than Gen-Xers, and they are a big, big group of people—the Baby Boomer Echo. Within the next 5 or 10 years, the US will become the largest wine-consuming nation in the World… Of course, that will last only a few years, when China will take over.”
Then I talked with Laely Heron, owner and winemaker at Heron Wines. Laely has been making wines for 20 years—in France, Spain and California. Her wines are highly regarded for their price/value relationship, and you will see them served by the glass in a lot of successful, wine-oriented restaurants. Laely has traveled to virtually every spot on the planet, is fluent in four languages and conversant in many more and has a uniquely refined palate due to her extensive travels.
Her answer to my question: “We have a glut of product. Over the past years, the industry has overproduced, and we are sitting on product that is expiring and that needs to be sold now. I am seeing a lot of quality, old wine from good vintages being sold by the glass at under-market prices.”
Laely goes on to say that this means two things. First, “The recession will last longer in the wine industry than in most other industries. We are dealing with difficult economic times and an excess of product that is time-sensitive and must be sold soon.” Second, she feels the ability to buy older wines at great prices will continue. “This is not a new phenomenon. Smart buyers have known how to get great deals—particularly online—in recent years. However, the buyers market will only get better. It is a good time to figure out how to find the great bargains that are available.”
We’ll post What’s Happening in the Wine World, Part II next week—check back then.
For more about partnering with Dana—or to get to know us over a glass of wine—contact jzech@danacommunications.com.
iPhone 4 | Sharing Moments
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Hospitality News, Interactive, Technology
The latest iPhone was introduced to the public today. It is certainly the model that was leaked about a month ago and features all that was mentioned then. There is one feature that I didn’t hear of then that I really like. This is the one tap video calling from Facetime. Individuals with the new and improved model will now be able to video conference with a tap of the screen. Very cool. Watch the video on the Apple site for more details.
The Pantone Hotel—For the Designer in ALL of Us.
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Advertising, Design, Hospitality News
At Dana we live in a world of luxury hospitality, rich images, decadent cuisine and fantasy golf courses. And we love it all. But every once in awhile, deep down inside, we secretly wish we could be involved in a project that is uber-stylized like this one, The Pantone Hotel. It’s not for everyone, my parents would never stay here in a million years (my father is color blind). But it does offer an alternative to the traditional offerings one would look for in a weekend retreat in Brussels.
And that alternative is oh so colorful.
“Designed by Michel Penneman and Oliver Hannaert, The PANTONE HOTELTM, Brussels showcases the color of emotion with a distinctive hue on each colorous guest floor. From vivid to subdued, for business or leisure, our unique boutique hotel perfectly suits your savvy palette and colorful imagination.”
Dana Communications Welcomes New Senior Account Executive
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Dana News, Hospitality News, Technology, Tips and Trends Series
Dana Communications welcomes new hire Bethany Diddle to the role of Senior Account Executive. Diddle brings a strong background in branding strategy, account management and client interaction.
With a BA from New Mexico State University and an MBA from Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management, Diddle also comes to Dana with valuable agency experience and an extensive list of previous clientele.
Her prior work experience comprises account, management and marketing positions with General Electric, Pearlfisher, Inc., the National Foreign Trade Council, Arnold Worldwide and WestWayne, Inc. These roles afforded her the opportunity to work with clients including Celebrity Cruises, Amtrak, Hershey’s, Johnson & Johnson, Jose Cuervo and The Campbell Soup Company.
When it comes to branding, Diddle believes that “the answers are already there…all you have to do is listen.” By lending an attentive ear and an open mind to her clients (and the world), she works to extract authentic points of differentiation that capture the heart and soul of each brand and meaningfully connect with audiences.
Her strategic aptitude is complemented by keen organization and a consultative approach to account management. Diddle has also traveled to 37 states and 10 countries, so she truly understands the meaning of “travel and hospitality.” She is a welcome addition to the Dana team and is expected to be a positive new figure among Dana’s clients and colleagues alike.
Now Premiering on Broadway!
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Advertising, Dana News, Hospitality News, Interactive, Media, Uncategorized
From the Golden Gate Bridge to the sweet Carolinas, Dana is all over the map—and we’ve just moved our NY office to its new home in Times Square! We’re now boasting a brand-new address among the bright lights of Broadway.
To Contact our New York Office, call Jared Zech at 646.666.7016, or jzech@danacommunications.com.
Mark Zuckerberg: Announcement on FB Updates. Social Plug-In’s | “Like” it.
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Advertising, Hospitality News, Technology, social media
Dana Communications Joins SoDA!
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Advertising, Dana News, Hospitality News, Interactive, Technology, social media
The Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) serves as a worldwide voice of digital marketing professionals with a mission to advance the profession through best practices, education, and advocacy.
Dana’s Director of Interactive Services, Eric Welsh, says of SoDA— “This is Dana doing what Dana does best. Staying informed while developing relationships. Our goal interactively has always been focused on trends, participation and delivery to our clients. Our business cards say on the back, ‘knowledge. ideas. relationships’ and we really do practice that.”
Visit Society of Digital Agencies
AdAge Digital 2010 | 6 Foundations of Great Digital Creative
Posted by Eric Welsh | Filed under Advertising, Dana News, Hospitality News, Interactive, Technology, Tips and Trends Series
Magazines Come Alive
Posted by Charisse Gallagher | Filed under Advertising, Dana News, Hospitality News, Interactive, Media, Technology, Tips and Trends Series, Travel
I recently sat down with a relaxing cup of hot tea and opened up the March 2010 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. I was a few pages in when my eyes stumbled across a 2-D barcode. Hmm. Then I read this intriguing line: “Our March issue comes alive on your smartphone.”
Ok—hold the phone (no pun intended)—I just had to know what this was all about!
I grabbed my iPhone and within a few minutes, I had downloaded Microsoft’s Tag Reader app and was on my way to a scanning frenzy! I aimed the little cross-hair target at the barcode in the magazine. As I got close enough, it recognized the code and instantly whisked me away to a landing page with expanded information from the magazine issue, no actual photo required. There I discovered a behind-the-scenes look at the cover shoot, plus multiple videos, a guide of things to do in Shanghai & Hong Kong and much more.
I then began a treasure hunt throughout the entire issue, finding and scanning all of these little barcodes to see where they might take me. I enjoyed watching the video of the gorgeous red Bottega Veneta dress on as it flowed down the runway—something you can’t really get from a still photograph. I also liked how some of the tags acted as instant links. No more writing down that URL to look up later—just scan and go!
I love this new mix of mediums working together and can only imagine where this type of technological thinking will take us in the future. Perhaps we will be able to see a destination photo we like in a magazine, scan it and instantly book a trip. Who knows—the possibilities are endless!
Out of the Bunker and into the Black
Posted by Julia Zauner | Filed under Advertising, Dana News, Golf, Hospitality News, Interactive, Tips and Trends Series, Travel
Dana recently attended the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. The Orange County Convention Center was all a buzz with vendors, pros, golfers and media—what a great event! We had the chance to talk to industry insiders and were impressed by their upbeat outlook for 2010. Of real interest to our team was a study released by PGA Magazine, which showed the impact of PGA Professionals on travel decisions…
About 70% of PGA Professionals travel with groups annually. Almost half take three or more trips per year, and their groups average about nine golfers playing about three rounds of golf when they travel together. 75% of these trips are booked more than two months in advance, which is welcome revenue in this era of short-lead bookings.
We were intrigued by the amount of influence PGA Pros have on determining where their groups travel. 86% of golf professionals either select the specific golf destination or narrow the choices to a few on which the group can decide—and more than 70% make all of the travel arrangements. What’s more, the vast majority is asked at least once a week for recommendations on places to stay and play golf.
We’ve all seen the number of golf resorts in the U.S. grow in the past decade, creating a very competitive marketplace. Meanwhile, the number of golfers remains flat, and bookings for corporate group outings have sharply declined. Reaching the 28,000 PGA Professionals who are key influencers on travel is a smart play.
Dana Communications has partnered with Hunter PR to analyze this study’s findings and show how to leverage the influence of PGA Professionals. To see more on these results and learn about getting out of the bunker and into the black, visit www.danacommunications.com/bunker2black.
