CASE STUDY

BECOMING SOFITEL’S TRUSTED PARTNER Sofitel, one of the world’s leading luxury hotel brands, has been working on various marketing and content-related projects with EnVeritas Group since 2010. These include multilingual content creation for the official hotel and corporate sites, editing and optimization for hotel mini-sites, multilingual blogging and localization for the brand’s new mobile app. EnVeritas Group was therefore the natural partner of Sofitel’s marketing team in the EMEA region for one of their most exciting content marketing projects: Storytelling.

There was a need to differentiate each Sofitel hotel or resort from one another as well as from competitors and to express its unique design, character and atmosphere. The Sofitel marketing team worked with local hotel staff to define two concepts which set the property apart. The aim of the Storytelling project was to expand upon and illustrate these two concepts in order to help staff as well as clients understand them better.

This type of subtle branding strategy is more effective when it is supported by a real-life story. Stories also make concepts easier to be absorbed and utilized at all levels of communication, from print and digital marketing tools to presentations by local staff.

AN AMBITIOUS PROJECTEach hotel in the Sofitel universe has developed a unique identity based on the brand’s three pillars: design, culture and gastronomy. There is a strong focus on blending these concepts with local traditions and cultures as well as with excellent service by the local teams. In each property, a unique story arises from Sofitel’s blend of French art de recevoir and local hospitality.

Sofitel Storytelling

CHALLENGES- Unique Sofitel style

and tone- Requires in-depth,

local knowledge of each property

- Emotionally engaging copywriting

- Localization/transcreation while retaining high quality

SOLUTIONS- In-depth research

and interviews- Top quality local

writers, editors and translators

- Several editing rounds- Active participation

of all stakeholders

RESULTS- Bespoke stories that

set each hotel and resort apart

- A deeper understanding of the property by local and central Sofitel staff

- A more coherent and effective marketing effort

- A fuller exploration of Sofitel style in several languages

It was this story and atmosphere that EnVeritas had to represent for each hotel. The content needed to focus on the vibrant experience offered by each destination. It had to be a lively, immersive text which reflected the excellent service that is Sofitel’s hallmark. Vocabulary had to be chosen with as much taste, care and attention as Sofitel’s designers choose materials and colors, chefs prepare dishes and local teams dedicate time to the comfort of their guests.

The aim, in sum, was dual. First, to continue to reinforce Sofitel’s image as an exceptional luxury hotel brand which stands out from local competition. Second, to illustrate the unique character of each hotel compared to the brand’s other properties.

There was a need to

differentiate each Sofitel

hotel or resort from one

another as well as from

competitors, and to express

its unique design, character

and atmosphere.

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE Delving so deeply into the image of each hotel would not have been possible without a thorough understanding of the brand, its image and the hotels themselves. The proximity of EnVeritas Group’s local writers and editors to Sofitel’s central and local hotel marketing teams took the partnership to a new level, making EnVeritas a valuable service provider for Sofitel.

CHALLENGES• Create content in line with the brand’s unique tone and

style.• Gather detailed information about each hotel in order

to understand not just the finer aspects of its facilitiesbut the emotional character it creates.

• Produce a lively text which immerses the reader in aworld of sensations.

• Achieve a high level of quality while being sensitive tothe wishes of all stakeholders on a very subjective text.

• Localize the text into French, English and/or the locallanguage while retaining the same quality of styleand tone.

STRATEGY AND SOLUTIONS• Participation of all stakeholders at each stage of the

content creation process.• I mmersion in the hotel’s “universe” through photos,

descriptions, a detailed presentation defining the theme, style and personality of the hotel. Plus a conference callwith the local manager to gain understanding of theatmosphere, research into guest experiences and more.

• Content creation by EnVeritas Group’s writers andeditors, selected for their ability to write in Sofitel style.

• Several editing rounds in order to seamlessly integratethe contributions of each stakeholder.

• Localization of the content into the desired languages,keeping all stakeholders involved in the editing processin order to ensure the project’s coherence and thehighest quality in all languages.

RESULTS• Each hotel has a bespoke story which sets it apart.• The Storytelling text will help local marketing teams

and hotel staff understand the property more deeplyand therefore market it more effectively in their internaland external communications.

• When used as a basis for communications, the hotel’sStorytelling presentation will give coherence to the entiremarketing effort.

• A real-life example of Storytelling strategy in action• A deeper exploration of Sofitel style, which led to the

rewriting and localization of Sofitel’s Editorial StyleGuide in English, French, German, Arabic and Russian.

The aim was dual. To

continue to reinforce

Sofitel’s image as an

exceptional luxury hotel

brand which stands out

from local competition.

To illustrate the unique

character of each hotel

compared to the brand’s

other properties.

EnVeritas Group, Inc. 9 LeGrand Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29607864.241.0779 - info@enveritasgroup.com - www.enveritasgroup.com

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