Have you always wanted to travel the world but don’t have the budget for it? Do you have a unique perspective on life, travel, and value a good adventure? If you were offered a chance to experience 30 stays in 300 days at hotels in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations, would you take it?
If you answered “yes,” entering Marriott Bonvoy’s 30 Stays, 300 Days social media contest may just be the answer you've been waiting for.
In this post, we take a look at #30stays300days. We break down what the contest is, what the winners receive, and how to enter. We also take a look at the type of marketing campaign #30stays300days is, explore some of the reasons social media matters, and examine how similar social media campaigns can benefit hotels.
Everything you need to know about Marriott Bonvoy’s 30 Stays, 300 Days contest
What is 30 Stays, 300 Days?
Marriott, one of the world’s most recognizable hotel brands, has launched a TikTok competition: 30 Stays, 300 Days. A branded hashtag challenge, the hospitality industry giant is using #30stays300days to find three “social media-savvy travelers” to take an all-expenses-paid worldwide tour of Marriott’s 30 hotel brands over the course of 300 days. The opportunity was inspired by Marriott’s “belief in the transformative power of travel.”
Additionally, #30stays300days winners will become Marriott Bonvoy’s official TikTok Correspondents for 2022. As they travel the world, exploring beautiful destinations and experiencing the benefits of being a Marriott rewards member, three winners will share their experiences with Marriott’s TikTok audience. By uploading photos, videos, and other content, contest winners will work with the brand to highlight “the power of travel” across a variety of social media channels.
To outline the purpose of Marriott’s 30 Stays, 300 Days program, Brian Povinelli, Senior Vice President of Brand, Loyalty and Portfolio Marketing, explained, “Travel is without a doubt one of the strongest tools we have to bring people together, broaden horizons, and foster growth all with an unwavering spirit of curiosity. We’re excited for our TikTok correspondents to embrace the transformative power of travel and showcase Marriott Bonvoy as the vehicle to explore the world through this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
What do #30stays300days winners receive?
Official #30stays300days Correspondents will travel to up to four destinations across the world on a curated adventure. At each destination, winners can stay up to 14 nights for a total of 56 complimentary room nights.
Correspondents will travel in comfort as they experience the luxury of Marriott’s 30 hotel brands, including Westin Hotels and Resorts, Moxy Hotels®, St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard by Marriott, and Autograph Collection.
Alongside Marriott’s notable hotel brands, Marriott’s TikTok Travel Correspondents will also be first-in-line to experience a stay with Homes & Villas by Marriott International. A new component of the Marriott brand, Homes & Villas offers travelers the opportunity to book a stay in one of more than 50,000 vacation rental homes (luxury rental homes included).
#30stays300days contest winners will also receive loads of additional prizes, perks, and swag to enjoy during their travels:
- A $10,000 Marriott Bonvoy gift card to be used toward transfers, meals, attractions, experiences, and on-site hotel services (spa, valet, etc.)
- An additional $15,000 stipend.
- $2,500 in Uber vouchers to cover local transportation.
- Exclusive program experiences from Marriott Bonvoy Moments.
- Round-trip flights to up to four destinations.
- Personal travel concierge service.
- “Take Me Away” travel kit packed with swag from branded online stores and Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques.
The total #30stays300days prize package is worth over $30,000, according to Marriott. Three creative and charismatic travel loving TikTok experts will receive gifts, prizes, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel the world and experience a variety of cultures — all while being paid for it.
Who should enter the contest?
Marriott is seeking engaging individuals who really love two things: TikTok and travel. Ideal Marriott TikTok Correspondents are not simply TikTok experts who have mastered the art of short video; the brand is seeking engaging people with a unique perspective and sense of wanderlust.
Enter Marriott’s 30 Stays, 300 Days contest if you:
- Consider yourself a “digital adventurer.”
- Love to travel.
- Can produce high-quality short video content.
- Love social media (especially TikTok).
- Are comfortable sharing your experiences on camera.
- Appreciate diverse cultures.
- Have a unique perspective on travel and adventure.
How to enter #30stays300days
All 30 Stays, 300 Days contest entrants must be a member of the Marriott Bonvoy program to participate. Signing up for the Marriott Bonvoy program is fast, free, and mobile-friendly. Once enrolled in the program, you can enter the contest in three steps:
1. Find and follow @MarriottBonvoy on TikTok.
Locate Marriott Bonvoy’s official TikTok account and follow it to become eligible for entry.
2. Answer the question, “How has travel shaped you?”
Create a TikTok video, no longer than three minutes, which highlights why you deserve one of the Correspondent positions by answering the question, “How has travel shaped you?” Contest sponsors mention “bonus points for creativity,” so think outside the box. Film an engaging, unique TikTok that explains what makes you the best candidate to become an official Marriott Bonvoy TikTok Correspondent.
3. Include #30stays300days and #contest in your submission.
All entries must include both of the event hashtags in order to be considered. All entries should be submitted for consideration by March 18, 2022, and Marriott will notify all finalists by April 1, 2022. Contest winners will be notified on TikTok via direct message and contest comments. They will also receive a congratulatory email confirmation with more information.
#30stays300days adventures are scheduled to begin in Spring of 2022 (based on CDC guidelines and travel restrictions).
How are the winners chosen?
After the contest cut-off date, a panel of Marriott Bonvoy’s representatives will judge all eligible contest entries. The judges will score each entry based on how well the contestant performs in four categories. Each category accounts for 25% of the final score.
1. Video quality — 25%
Judges will evaluate the quality of the video content submitted by judging lighting, video images, sound quality, and other technical factors.
2. Screen presence — 25%
Marriott Bonvoy is looking for Correspondents who feel comfortable in front of the camera. Ideal candidates will have charisma that jumps through the screen. Judges are looking for energy, enthusiasm, engagement, and authenticity. Show that you have a unique perspective on the value of travel, understand the power of personalization, and have a knack for creating personalized experiences.
3. Creativity and originality – 25%
The authenticity, creativity, and originality of each submission will be considered, as well as how interesting the content is.
4. “Appropriateness to the public image of the sponsor” — 25%
Finally, judges will be scoring each submission based on how well it meets Marriott’s values and matches the mission of the Bonvoy brand. Marriott is looking for upbeat, positive, and uplifting content that matches its enthusiasm for the power of travel.
Up to 10 finalists may be selected from the top-scoring entries before three winners are chosen. If so, finalists will be sent a “Finalist Application” to complete and send back as soon as possible. From there, three winners will be selected based solely on their Finalist Application content.
#30stays300days contest rules and regulations
In addition to creating captivating and imaginative video content, digital adventurers who would like to enter 30 Stays, 300 Days will need to agree to various rules and regulations set forth by Marriott Bonvoy. A complete list of entry requirements is available on the contest website, but here are a few major restrictions to keep in mind:
- All contest entries must be submitted in English.
- All entries must be the original idea of the entrant and may not be plagiarized from any source.
- Only one person should be featured in the video entry: the entrant. If another person is shown in the entry content, the entrant will be required to obtain written permission from any other person(s) in the video. Contestants will be required to provide Marriott the written permissions upon request.
- Correspondent contenders may not receive filming or editing assistance from a videographer or other videography professional, nor may they submit entries that are owned by a videography professional.
- No entries that include profane, offensive, or inappropriate content will be considered.
- Submissions cannot infringe on third-party rights or copyrighted works. Entries should not include brand logos, licensed music, celebrity representations, identifying personal information, or other sensitive materials.
- Entries may not mention Marriott’s competitors or competing brands.
- Contest participants may be required to disclose their vaccination status or “willingness to be inoculated,” depending on travel restrictions and CDC Guidelines.
#30stays300days contest entrants also agree to give Marriott the right to use any content submitted for the contest. Upon agreeing to the rules and regulations, contestants grant Marriott Bonvoy (non-exclusively) the right to copy, distribute, and display contest content in any media.
What type of marketing campaign is Marriott’s #30stays300days?
The 30 Stays, 300 Days TikTok contest is a branded hashtag challenge — a social media marketing campaign specific to TikTok. In a branded hashtag challenge, businesses or organizations challenge audience members to share a video of themselves completing a specific challenge with a branded hashtag. This type of digital marketing campaign is often used to boost conversion rates by using at least one online channel — in this case, TikTok.
Hashtags are vital part of successful TikTok marketing campaigns, as they are used to group together content of a similar nature. By grouping together similar content, hashtag-based campaigns can be used to get audience attention and launch a social media trend that extends beyond the platform.
One of the most engaging social media campaigns available on the platform, 35% of TikTok’s user base participates in branded hashtag challenges. They give individual content creators an organic opportunity to be brand ambassadors in a way that increases brand recognition without feeling like an advertisement.
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How do hotels benefit from branded hashtag challenges?
Marriott’s marketing strategies benefit their brand in a variety of ways, and many hotel marketing managers look to their campaigns for inspiration. Hoteliers looking for innovative ways to use social media should consider adding TikTok to their social media marketing strategy. There are multiple marketing campaigns hoteliers can take advantage of on the platform including in-feed ads, Top-View ads, Brand Takeovers, and branded hashtag challenges.
Branded hashtag challenges can benefit hotels by:
- Increasing hotel awareness and brand recognition.
- Inspiring audience members to engage with your hotel and brand.
- Widening your audience reach through trending social media content.
- Driving authentic, organic interaction between your hotel and audience.
The benefits of participating in a TikTok marketing campaign are expansive for hotels. While these campaigns can be used to target and improve specific areas of hotel performance, each individual benefit collectively contributes to audience members building an affinity for your hotel and brand. Improving your hotel’s reputation with its online audience can attribute to increased guest loyalty, positively impacting a hotel’s performance and profits.
Now you know how Marriott’s 30 Stays, 300 Days TikTok contest works!
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