The part of branding I work with is visual. I work with photos and videos for hotels in the Dominican Republic. Visual branding is necessary, and more so now with social media where we have "free" (to some extent) to advertise our business. And, if we want to pay for it, it is still (as of this publication) relatively cheap compared to traditional channels such as magazines, newspapers, and television. All of these are on social media equally but not the other way around.
Chaise lounge chairs mid pool during a sunny day at the Live Aqua Resort Punta Cana.
The hotel industry relies heavily on promotion and marketing. Social media offers the opportunity to approach your target audience with ease. This, consequently, leaves much more marketing money that was previously spent on other communication channels to invest in professional photography and video with good quality.
Cell phones, tablets, and laptops are so normal nowadays that it is logical to use them as marketing channels.
But before hotel marketing, there is branding. Hotel branding is who you are as a company. Hotel branding shows up in colors, logos, typography, etc. Hotel branding identifies the hotel.
Hotel brands give much importance to online branding now more than ever.
For this reason, and because it is a visual business scenario, professional photography and videography have climbed to a position never seen before. These two promotional juggernauts address a broad sector of hotel visual marketing.
Hotel photography and videography are discovering new habits in travelers. Letting this be known on social networks in 15 to 30 seconds and offering a visual impact is only for professionals. Telling a story in such a short time and capturing visual attention is fundamental for a professional hotel photographer.
In my hotel shoots and videos, I try to convey a message to the traveler. This message has to include part of the branding as well as contemporary visual techniques.
Attached are some visuals of such content.