The Setai

The Setai, South Beach, Miami

The agency was retained by The Setai, a luxury condo-hotel in Miami’s trendy South Beach, for a three-month project prior to its grand opening.  The hotel had hired a different agency several months earlier, but management was dissatisfied with the results and concerned with a lack of exposure to key audiences and a looming opening date.

Devising a strategy for the hotel presented a few challenges, in that there were already some efforts made by the previous agency and there were clear indications that much of the media were not interested.  Additionally, the hotel was introducing a new level of luxury and a much higher price point than the market had historically experienced and, thus, looking to bring a new, more affluent clientele to South Beach, known for its night life and youthful travelers.

Knowing that the key audiences for South Beach are drawn from the worlds of music, fashion and the arts, the agency decided to develop a strategy that would reach the true trendsetters and would “influence the influencers” for this core group to turn The Setai in the place to see and be seen.

The most influential publication for the world’s style cognoscenti is Paris Vogue, which truly defines what is fashionable and chic globally, and is read by many U.S. media to monitor coming trends.  The agency approached the New York-based editor of the magazine, offered her first coverage of the hotel and organized for her stay at the property even before it was completely finished.  The resulting piece ran in the magazine to coincide with its soft opening, and also caught the attention of several key U.S. editors who had been reluctant to cover the hotel.

The agency also arranged for The Setai to be showcased in the presenters’ baskets for both Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards, with exquisitely designed packaging and materials.  Several of these A-list celebrities took advantage of the hotel’s gift certificate and visited the property shortly after the awards, creating a word-of-mouth in a highly influential circle.

Other key coverage secured for the hotel during this short project included Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, and Departures.