The tourism industry is a hugely competitive place.
What better way to stand out on a crowded beach of hotels, than to have a great video on your homepage. Especially if you're in Newquay, Cornwall, on Watergate Bay.
Watergate Bay Hotel's video is perfect.
It's not got a voiceover telling us how many rooms it has, the prices, the ameneties, the various impressive deals... in fact most of it isn't set in the hotel at all.
It's a brilliant piece of storytelling: an amazing family weekend away. A mix of pro footage and 'real' holiday footage, a chilled folky soundtrack that sucks us in and says 'this could be your story too'.
Take a look. The call to action at the end is genius.
It sits pride of place above the fold on the homepage (part of a beautifully designed site).
Notice it's embedded from Vimeo, rather than YouTube (though they have it up on their YT page too), so it looks nice and doesn't show ads.
What's great?
- short, just 90 seconds
- the natural beauty of the setting
- the smiling faces that feel authentic
- the girl using the waffle iron (waffles!)
- the subtle way it shows the rooms, pool, spa and dining
- the use of 'real' sound and footage: it feel like it could be our own holiday video, we all recognise that 'wind' on a video camera sound
- it's great to learn surfing or be a pro surfer, but hey if you want to chill and read a book with this incredible view, that's cool too
- the eagerness of the kids running up the stairs to eat
- The call to action a the end: not 'book now', but 'Now It's Your Turn', with a camera icon and #MyWatergateBay - the response on social, including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook is really special.
And it's that last point that's genius.
"Now It's Your Turn"
Now it's your turn to live that dream and have that holiday.
Now it's your turn to make your own video and share it with the world.
They went further and created a competition where you could submit your own footage using that hashtag. Of course that also means, if I stayed there and entered to win, then all of my social networks are likely to see the amazing time I had there... and want to stay themselves. But it's done in a really authentic way, not 'RT to win' style, but simply a family sharing their experience with their friends.
The contest ended in the winter of 2015 and the collective footage will be used to make their next video! (The ultra-short instagram creations are the perfect length for an editor to work with).
Can't wait to see it.
For that matter, I can't wait to stay there.
For it to be my turn.
Mmm, waffles.
What story can you tell for your business?
I'd love to hear, get in touch.