citizenM, a Dutch hotel and lifestyle brand with an international presence of 31 hotels in Europe, the United States and Asia, was founded in 2008 with an ambitious goal: ‘to revolutionize the hotel industry with its concept of accessible luxury’.

For its debut in Italy, the innovative brand chose our agency, which was responsible for the launch of its hotel in Rome from the conception of the communication to the organization of the opening party.

Several areas were therefore covered, among which the most important was the creation of an event that would: ‘make people talk for a long time in the Capital’ and give a new ‘sign’ in the hotel business.

The media communication started in October 2023, well in advance of the opening of the new hotel, using different media, thus developing a marketing mix in the market. At the same time, the support of the press office and public relations continued into the coming year.

According to the brief received from the client, the choices were mainly related to targets ranging from Generation X to Millennials, thus focusing on radio, digital and social campaigns. With a broader outreach, also involving other targets, dynamic billboards were the chosen option in various Italian cities, in particular in main railway stations.

citizenM mainly addresses a medium and medium-high spending public and its offer is suitable for people travelling for business or tourism and therefore on the cities best connected to Rome by high-speed train service.

The flyer on the most played radio network in northern Italy was complemented by an ecosystem of podcasts and streaming music services to reach the 25/54 age segment interested in travel and geolocated mainly in northern Italy.

Our copywriters worked on the creative concept from the scripts for the radio quotes to selecting a series of influencers in the shooting for the creation of the campaign.

The press office, on the other hand, for the opening of the ‘citizenM Rome Isola Tiberina’ organized interviews with various trade media in the travel and hospitality sector involving the hotel’s international management.

In January 2024, over 300 guests were invited to the opening party, some of which also had the opportunity to spend the night at the hotel. Among the guests there were content creators, trendsetters, the general and specialist press, as well as the Capital’s authorities.

We, as an agency, are now continuing with media pitches addressed to the press, representing the brand through the themes of art, design and technology.

On the occasion of World Oceans Day 2023, which was celebrated on June 8th in collaboration with Ethic Ocean, in early May, our agency organized a 3-day press trip for our client Relais & Châteaux. From Liguria to Tuscany, we accompanied 3 journalists to discover, through visits to four properties, the commitment of the members in terms of sustainable cuisine and hospitality.

Since 1954, Relais & Châteaux has promoted a travel approach based on authenticity, territory, and cuisine as a key to discovering cultural diversity. It was born from the intuition of eight hoteliers and restaurateurs whose properties were located along the N7, the Route Nationale “of Parisian vacationers” that connected Paris to the French Riviera. They chose to network to promote the territory to which they were deeply connected and of which they were authentic connoisseurs.

Over the years, the association has evolved, expanding first in Europe and then worldwide. Today, it counts 580 properties on five continents. The values that unite these establishments, charming hotels, and Michelin-starred gastronomic restaurants, are independence, rootedness in the territory, passion for hospitality, and the belief that this work can be carried out responsibly.

The first sustainability report of Relais & Chateaux

In January 2023, the association presented its first Sustainability Report, a document that accounts for the achievements made in recent years and sets objectives for 2025 and 2030, such as carbon neutrality and gender equality. Since 2016, Relais & Châteaux has been working together with associations to provide its chefs with useful tools for professional growth and to offer continuous food for thought to its clientele. For the sixth consecutive year, on the occasion of World Ocean Day 2023, the association promoted an awareness campaign on the theme of marine biodiversity conservation.

The chosen theme this year was the seasonality of fish species, around which there are some myths to debunk: contrary to what happens in the plant world, “in season” in the sea does not necessarily mean sustainable, and the real criterion for evaluating the sustainability of consuming a particular species is the health of the stock. Through events, masterclasses, and informative activities on social networks, Relais & Châteaux chefs became spokespersons and promoters of this message for the health of our oceans.

Press trip

In the press trip program, we included a series of activities dedicated to sustainable fishing, including a workshop with Elisabeth Vallet, Director of Ethic Ocean, visits to local farms and fish markets, gourmet dinners at the chef’s table, and cooking courses.

The objective was to demonstrate the key role of chefs in the local economy and the influence of their voice on consumption choices, both in terms of purchasing volumes and the possibility of disseminating information and raising awareness among the end customers.

The initiative was well received and developed by the three participating publications (La Cucina Italiana, Italia a Tavola, and Il Giornale), which published various types of articles: from travel reports to investigations on sustainability in the kitchen, to articles targeting the final consumer with purchasing advice and recipes, along with substantial coverage on Instagram, ensuring overall significant visibility for the Association and the initiative.

Some numbers:

3 journalists invite to the press trip
4 properties visited: Relais & Châteaux La Meridiana Hotel & Golf Resort in Garlenda, Relais & Châteaux Villa della Pergola, Relais & Châteaux Il Bottaccio di Montignos e Relais & Châteaux Hotel Plaza e de Russie
4 articles published in the following two weeks
42 content posted on social networks
1,7 million readers
€ 18.750,00 total advertising value
814% ROI

The new Valtellina Turismo summer campaign is “Discover your V”, where the V of Valtellina becomes the X factor that every tourist can find in their research to discover themselves, while enjoying the experiences that this region can offer.

Starting from this concept, the Agency has designed and developed the new Valtellina project, a branding campaign to strengthen, enhance and promote the brand, also in the run-up to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, the international event that the territory’s two main ski resorts, Livigno and Bormio, will host.

A project that has involved the Agency at all stages, from concept to strategy to production and planning. The Agency’s CEO & founder Albert Redusa Levy led the team that developed the campaign, describing the project as follows: “This year Valtellina Turismo is back on air presenting its summer season. The campaign we created emphasises the three main ‘reasons why’ people should spend a holiday in this land, which are then translated into short impactful stories that aim to leave a memory in the audience’s mind. The purpose of the campaign is to increase the mental availability of the Valtellina brand through distinctive brand assets that make the brand recognisable in the minds of users.”

To plan the multi-subject campaign, the Agency envisaged the production of three 15” videos set in naturalistic contexts, which feature family, culture, wellness, food and wine, and sport as their subjects.

Albert Redusa Levy comments: “The integrated campaign we have implemented reinforces and consolidates the perception of the destination both on the domestic market, with a particular focus on Italy, which is our area of interest, and on the foreign market, whose travellers have always been looking for places where they can spend their holidays in the open air. We will thus continue to enhance the strengths of the destination, trying to intercept a heterogeneous audience. Valtellina is strongly resuming its post-Covid positioning, also reaching foreign markets and proposing itself as an all-round destination, with a touristic offer that ranges from slow tourism to cycling tourism, wine tourism, and hiking, without losing its value as a sports destination.”

The chosen media include digital media, print, OOH, radio circuits, social campaigns, with a substantial digital presence foreseen in foreign markets as well.

From a creative idea by Marco Fossati, the campaign was carried out by Alessandro Coppi as Senior Copywriter and Raffaella Bendinoni, Senior Art Director.
Photo-Video Service: Studio Cattelan.