Charles Blackwell
February 15, 2013
February 15, 2013
Who’s in your Cult?
How a Vancouver hotel won my loyalty for life.
I got a Christmas Card last year. Not entirely blog-worthy I hear you say.
But this wasn’t an ordinary card. It wasn’t from a friend or a relative, or from a realtor or insurance company. Or indeed any of the usual suspects.
It came from the staff of a hotel in Vancouver. My favourite hotel in Vancouver. I stayed there just once this year, and it wasn’t on an expense account as it has been in years previous.
It is not an inexpensive place to spend a couple of nights, particularly when you are paying with your own money. Indeed I could have saved hundreds of dollars staying with a national chain. But I didn’t.
I called up this hotel. They had no rooms of the kind I needed, on the dates I wanted. But, upon hearing I had stayed there before (“ah, Mr Blackwell, how are you, we haven’t seen you in a while”) they found a room. A very expensive room (even by their standards) and discounted it considerably to make it more affordable for me.
The hotel I speak of is the Granville Island Hotel. I love this hotel. And I take every opportunity to tell those who I know are Vancouver bound to stay there. Not because I’m incented to do it. Or because I have family in the management. But because this is a brand that goes out of its way to make its guests feel special. A personal Christmas card from the staff is just another example of that.
So yes, I am in their cult. But as importantly, or perhaps more so for them — they are in mine. I am now immune to discount offers or frequent flyer deals at any other hotel on the West Coast. This is my hotel. It is part of who I am.
Charles Blackwell
Over his 25-year career, Charles has worked as a copywriter and creative director at major agencies in London, New York and Calgary. He was also President of his own award-winning agency, Push, for several years. His work has been featured in the CLIOs, Marketing Awards, Bessies, Applied Arts, IBAs and the London International Advertising Festival.
Over his 25-year career, Charles has worked as a copywriter and creative director at major agencies in London, New York and Calgary. He was also President of his own award-winning agency, Push, for several years. His work has been featured in the CLIOs, Marketing Awards, Bessies, Applied Arts, IBAs and the London International Advertising Festival. 
