Custard

Curious. Clever. Connected.

The Torridon: Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby

The Torridon was identified as a potential hotel to be featured in the third series of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby. Custard sold in key messages to the researchers and The Torridon owners had a detailed discussion with them. When it was confirmed that The Torridon would be featured on the programme, Custard assisted with arranging research visits for the BBC crew, helped shape storylines by providing lots of information, and briefing The Torridon staff on confidentiality and social media. 

The series episode was broadcast on 21 July 2020, the week after Scottish hospitality reopened after lockdown.

Planning

In the run-up to transmission, Custard created a communications plan that included media relations to trade and consumer press, reputation management and internal briefings, BBC press schedule, e-comms carried out by The Torridon’s design agency, and The Torridon’s social media schedule. 

On The Torridon website, a press centre and dedicated torridon@custardcommunications.com email address was set up. 

Enhanced website functionality, from increased bandwidth to cope with a high volume of visitors on transmission, and an easy to navigate customer journey through the website, were also implemented.

Impact

  • 37 articles, with a total reach of 135.6 million  
  • 588 mentions on social media to a reach of 1,181,232 
  • 274,038 users on the Torridon website during the week after transmission 
  • 144,152 total users on the Torridon website during transmission 
  • 1,807,883 page views on the Torridon website during the week after transmission 
  • Amount of transactions in the week after transmission increased from 33 to 414 when compared to the same period last year 
  • Revenue in the week after transmission increased by 2,858.23% when compared to the same period last year, and total revenue in this period totalled more than all bookings generated from March-July 2019 
  • The average booking value increased by 135.8% when compared to the same period last year 
  • Facebook followers increase of 12%, from 8,028 to 9,488 during the week after transmission 
  • Twitter followers increase of 9%, from 5,713 to 6,223 during the week after transmission 
  • LinkedIn followers increase of 32%, from 427 to 563 during the week after transmission 
  • Instagram followers increase of 35%, from 7,404 to 9,978 during the week after transmission 
  • The Torridon phones were still ringing off the hook two weeks after transmission

Post-transmission results

  • Press trip opportunities with consumer media and influencers. 
  • National television show competition prize opportunity 
  • Organised Rohaise speaking on Hotel Marketing Association webinar detailing the benefits of TV appearances