Kiawah Island Golf Resort

OBJECTIVES:
To maintain the vibrancy of the resort’s brand positioning, our team initiates a campaign creative refresh every two years. Each new campaign must achieve four primary objectives:

1. Command the attention of the target audience
2. Renew excitement for visiting Kiawah
3. Clearly differentiate the property from surrounding destinations
4. Drive e-club signups that generate strong revenue conversion

ACTIONS:
Shortly before the campaign refresh, the readers of Condé Nast Traveler voted Kiawah as one of the top islands in the world. Utilizing “Kiawah is THE ONE” as the core campaign message allowed us to creatively communicate that Kiawah was named the #1 Island in North America as well as play with the phrase’s double meaning, essentially positioning Kiawah as the target audience’s destination equivalent of a soul mate.

RESULTS:
“THE ONE” campaign checked the box of every marketing objective:

1. Expansive, evocative images dominate each piece, compelling the target audience to stop and take a look
2. Of the hundreds of islands dotting North America (including the Hawaiian Islands!), Kiawah was rated #1, which renews excitement for the destination
3. No other island in North America can make the same claim, so Kiawah was resoundingly differentiated from its competition, both regionally—and beyond
4. E-club signups increased by more than 50% YOY and occupancies and revenue were both in excess of pace for the year. In all, 2015 marked the strongest year the resort has experienced since opening.