Brand Building for New Key West Resort (The Marker)

Beutler Ink first worked with The Marker Waterfront Resort, Key West's first new hotel in 20 years, when they opened in 2015. As the resort’s agency of record, we had the unique opportunity to build the brand from the ground up, including establishing and fostering a nascent social media presence.

To best engage the widest audience (at the time), we chose to create profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in advance of the property's debut. To grow each account, we applied three different strategies: For Facebook, we developed targeted ads to attract potential customers likely to travel to Key West. On Twitter, we joined live chats hosted by travel bloggers and tourism gurus to get the word out about the hotel among travel enthusiasts. On Instagram, we implemented strategic hashtags to engage with people interested in Key West, nightlife, and luxury hotels.

We were able to establish fanbases on all three accounts within just six months. Our copywriting set the tone for the brand's public voice, and our visual content defined the hotel's aesthetic. In advance of the opening, we secured over 30 bookings exclusively through social media.

The property has become one of the most-followed resorts in Key West, maintaining a yearly growth rate of roughly 60%, and routinely beats its competitors and with an engagement rate of 4.5%, well above the industry average.