From dosas to door greets: Marriott Hotels' 24-hour welcome goes global

Titled "Wonderful hospitality never sleeps", the initiative places an emphasis on heartfelt gestures and thoughtful touches, highlighting Marriott Hotels’ role in global hospitality, from personalised guest greetings to the simple pleasure of peeled fruit on arrival.

The campaign was developed by The Suite, a collective of independent agencies across Asia, led by TSLA. The initiative underscores Marriott Hotels’ dedication to authenticity and cultural relevance. As part of The Suite, The Secret Little Agency collaborated with UltraSuperNew in Japan and Talented in India, two of the region’s independent creative agencies. From initial research to final execution, the partners worked in close coordination to ensure the campaign was grounded in genuine insights and rich cultural nuance.

At the heart of the campaign is a 75-second film designed to showcase the spirit of hospitality. According to a statement seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, the film was shot in Japan and India to highlight diverse cultural interpretations of Marriott Hotels' 24-hour service ethos.

The campaign’s local expressions bring Marriott Hotels' global tagline, "Wonderful hospitality. Always." to life by showcasing how hospitality manifests across cultures.

Directed by Australian filmmaker Jared Deparis and produced by The Sweet Shop, the brand film celebrates the spirit of hospitality through real and relatable moments, capturing the gestures and everything that goes behind the scenes that makes a customer's stay memorable.

Inspired by true stories and insights, the scenarios range from a child enjoying both dosa and pancakes in India to a Marriott Hotel associate surprising a guest with a painting of herself in Japan. Each moment aims to showcase the true essence of hospitality in its cultural context.

Additionally, the campaign expanded its reach through digital and out-of-home formats. Its visuals were designed to capture the multifaceted nature of hospitality, from serene moments to culinary delights and thrilling experiences, bringing them to life across some of the world’s busiest cities and cultural crossroads.

Nicholas Ye and Mavis Neo, co-chief creative officers at TSLA said “Hospitality is a big word. It means different things to different people. For some, it’s being greeted by name as a returning guest. For others, it’s something as simple as peeled fruit on arrival. This vastness in expectations, and how Marriott Hotels quietly continues to deliver on them, inspired the heart of this campaign. It is about the little gestures and the behind-the-scenes effort that make every stay at Marriott Hotels wonderful."

“All our partners were embedded within the process from the start, and we approached the work as one team, acting as one agency from the get-go. We needed to change the dynamic of multi-market partnerships to deliver the authenticity we strived for— we knew wanted no adaptors, only originators and for all our work to be powered by real strategic and cultural insights," they added.

The 'Wonderful hospitality never sleeps" campaign follows TSLA's recent campaign with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) to highlight the importance of Singapore to businesses around the world. Titled "Your business needs Singapore", the one-minute clip begins by showing audiences how the world has been "turned upside down" with the rise of natural disasters and wars, among other reasons. The video features the country's most radical innovations and points out how Singapore's "predictability" allows businesses to confidently venture into the unknown.

Author: Dhanya Vimalan