Scott Weisenthal

101 Great Minds on Music Brands and Behavior

Scott Weisenthal, VP of Global Creative and Content Marketing, Marriott International

Scott Weisenthal is the Vice President of Global Creative and Content Marketing at Marriott International. A member of the brand and marketing leadership team, Scott is responsible for setting Marriott International’s creative and content strategy, as well as leading the development and execution of marketing campaigns that drive demand and cultural relevance for the company’s portfolio, brands, and loyalty program around the world. Previously, Scott served as Senior Vice President of the Content Innovation Agency at NBC Universal where he was a member of the NBC Universal Marketing Council, Music Council and Symphony Council. His work has been featured in Ad Age, AdWeek, Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and highlighted in Essentials of Marketing, a college textbook published by McGraw-Hill.

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“Audio should be thought about at the onset of any strategy because it’s often the most memorable part of any campaign.”

— SCOTT WEISENTHAL, VP OF GLOBAL CREATIVE AND CONTENT MARKETING, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

Reese: Tell me a little about Marriott International and your role there.

Weisenthal: Marriott International is the world’s leading hospitality company. We have over 7,000 hotels around the world in 131 countries and territories. It is critical that we share the right narrative with our guests and loyalty members. That’s where my team comes in. I’m responsible for the global creative and content marketing group – the in-house creative agency and design studio, the content studio, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler (our editorial storytelling business) and M Live, which is our real-time social marketing capability. Additionally, I oversee relationships with external agencies and in 2019, I spearheaded the marketing launch of Marriott Bonvoy.

Reese: Can you expand upon the four different capabilities?  

Weisenthal: My team sits at the nexus of technology, distribution and content. It’s a next-generation content ecosystem, where all of the parts work together to achieve our business goals. For example, M Live is mining social media for trends and insights. Those trends and insights are then used by the content studio to create franchises that are distributed across Marriott Bonvoy Traveler and our in-room screens. The in-house agency creates all of the promotional materials to get eyeballs to the content franchises.

Reese: How does Marriott view the term ‘sonic identity’?

Weisenthal: ‘Sonic identity’ is that unique identifier that’s carried through every unique piece of marketing material. When we set out to create a marketing program, we always think about music and sound as an integral part of the campaign. Multi-sensory branding is exploding with the growth of podcasts and tech like Alexa. Audio should be thought about at the onset of any strategy because it’s often the most memorable part of any campaign.

Reese: A lot of the visual brand language is getting lost when brands enter screenless ecosystems like Alexa or Google Home. How does this impact hospitality?

Weisenthal: Any successful marketer will tell you that sound has always been an integral part of a marketing program. There is probably more conversation around it today due to audio technology. I believe, in such a fragmented advertising marketplace, where music and mnemonics help break through the clutter, sonic branding will continue to play a more important role in everything we do in hospitality. Audio has the power to give people a sense of the destination and what they can expect from Marriott Bonvoy experiences.

Reese: If you were to look at a sonic strategy for all the brands owned by Marriott International, would you go for each brand separately or have a master brand approach?

Weisenthal: Each brand for Marriott International should have its own sonic identity along with its own visual identity that reflects the experience you will have with the brand. The experience you have at Ritz Carlton is going to be very different than an experience at a Westin or a W Hotel or a Courtyard.

“I believe, in such a fragmented advertising marketplace, where music and mnemonics help break through the clutter, sonic branding will continue to play a more important role in everything we do in hospitality.”

Reese: Why do you think there has been such a shift in the last two or three years from visual to audio?

Weisenthal: Brands are always looking at ways to differentiate themselves and there has been a tremendous amount of data compiled over the last few years that points to the emotional value of sonic branding. It helps gain attention in the marketplace, it enhances brand recall and triggers different emotions we want from consumers… especially at point of purchase.

Reese: Should brands also have a sonic handbook the way they do for visuals?

Weisenthal: Brands should have a communication strategy and sonic should be a part of that strategy.  

Reese: Would it help to have a central music resource for a brand?

Weisenthal: In many advertising campaigns, music is often an afterthought, which puts the campaign at a disadvantage. I’m not sure if that means you need a central music resource, but you should have your agency work with a music house from the beginning of any assignment.

Note: The interview took place in Bethesda on August 10, 2020.

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