Press and the Zeitgeist

Flipping through the pages of the latest issue of Departures, I stumbled upon fashion editorial layout and noticed that one of the images was shot on location in one of my old haunts - The Lambs Club at The Chatwal Hotel in Manhattan - and it reminded me the dozens of photo shoots I had overseen in that space and others in our portfolio of hotels and then it further reminded me of the role that press plays in the Zeitgeist and your place in it.

In my past, I have run into many an operator that would eschew the opportunity for this type of shoot without a heavy location fee attached. This is a mistake, in my humble opinion, provided that you have the resources to guide the shoot and it isn't a major disruption to normal business.

I think that, by and large, many folks underestimate the impact of repetition and regularity can play in keeping your business at the fore of consumer tastes, especially when it appears in the right context. It doesn't matter that every shoot that takes place in your spaces be attached to a major feature on your business. By appearing in the right publication, with the right subject matter, you can bring added benefit to your location just by the association.

The Lambs Club in the 2019 Holiday Issue of Departures

Having said that, carefully picking which shoots you allow, based on where they will appear and how that lines up with your marketing strategy is key. In other words, don't just take any old shoot that comes along... make sure it's going to gel well with your brand, but if all the right boxes are checked, do your best to make it work because it will pay dividends in the long run.