Steve Heyer CEO is a strong believer in the concept of constant adaptation in the industry in reaction to changing times. It is clear at present that the man was right in his tips, delivered long years ago. He delivered a keynote speech bearing this message to a group of 400 media, ad agency and entertainment executives during an “Advertising Age” conference in 2003.
The man occupies a top position in Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. There were several occasions where Heyer enlarged on what he had meant about finding innovative marketing approaches in the famous conference long ago. Heyer's stated goal was the marketing of amusement, as opposed to the marketing of lodgings in the hotels.
Experiences are the products to Heyer, not the rooms. He wanted to emphasize the value of promoting amusements as services or products. Technically, what is being offered has not really changed: it is simply the way of looking at it that has.
In the 2003 speech, he proposed to marketers and media leaders to become more customized and personalized in delivering their services and products, and aim for the empowerment of consumers. The prediction, as we see now, came to pass. Nowhere is this more visible than in the technologically-centered industries.
Nowadays, various businesses in media are in trouble because of the changes in technology. When Napster.com, the first music downloading service website, burst into the scene, the music industry lost millions in potential revenue. Consumers went online in droves when songs started becoming downloadable on sites for free.
Heyer remarked on the horrific drop in revenue for singers, songwriters, and producers during this period. The circumstances had changed, Heyer said, and so should the methods of distribution as well as reproduction. Heyer said that even TV was no longer safe, and that new trends might well harm those in the industry.
To him, the postmodern cultural product was what made sense, where consumers bought because they wanted the culture. Heyer's intention is to convince consumers that they can make memories that shall never be forgotten by going to Starwood locations. Their focus now is not anymore on the beautiful hotels with a total worth of billion dollars but on the opportunities to create memories.
To this end, Victoria’s Secret has been called on to partner with the hotels to produce The Limited Victoria Secret shows for exclusive viewing in the hotels. The Victoria's Secret shows command a good bit of attention, and only select guests of the hotels are allowed. This is the perfect execution of what Heyer meant.
Heyer has also spoken out against slapping on brands in films. This is a meaningless practice, in Heyer's opinion. To him, such random inserts would serve little purpose, either for the film or for the company.
One of Coca Cola's former leaders is actually Steve Heyer CEO. It is from that time that we may take an example of what he means by properly contextualized brand "cameos". He managed to get Coke cups on the table of the judges for a certain talent competition aired on TV, ensuring contextual visibility.
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