Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has launched its first global brand campaign since 2021, and though there’s a luxury backdrop, the hotel group says the message is about how guests feel in quiet, everyday moments.
Fairmont is rolling out a series of bookable offerings under the banner ‘Special Happens…’ These include after-hours spa rituals under the stars, yoga by a waterfall, and chocolate-making workshops.
The goal, according to Raffles & Fairmont CEO Omer Acar, is to focus on moments that feel personal, not grand. And the idea is to turn that concept into a service standard – no easy feat across 92 hotels in 30 countries.
Acar said Fairmont is building “a new service culture,” training colleagues worldwide to create “special” moments, not just for VIPs or major events, but also in everyday guest interactions.
There’s also an ad campaign called “Make Special Happen.” A short film, shot at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, follows a cast of characters preparing for a grand celebration. It’s clearly luxury – with hand-delivered, handwritten invitations – but it’s inclusive and not stuffy.
Acar said the idea for it didn’t come from a creative agency but from an internal workshop.
“We started a year ago with a select group of general managers, regional vice presidents, and executive team members sitting in a room to identify what is special about Fairmont,” he said. “Fairmont is a hotel company that has been making special things happen for decades.”
Looking for Relevance Across Generations
Fairmont was founded in 1907 and has hosted historic events that include the signing of the United Nations Charter, Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In for Peace.
The campaign draws on that heritage while trying to make the idea of “special” feel contemporary.
With input from consultancy Codec, the company identified five “cultural communities” it hopes to reach, categories it calls: the escapist, active lifestyles, status tastemakers, the social culturalist, and the event mavens.
“A study was done about who the pillars are and our guests are. Who are we addressing? Who have we been addressing, and who should we continue to address?” said Acar.
Acar says Fairmont wants to appeal to a younger generation of travelers without alienating its longtime guests.
“We are looking at a new generation, but we are also not forgetting our heritage,” Acar said. “It’s important to highlight that it is not only focused on one group of travelers, but it is celebrating multi-generational travelers.”
“We want the brand to be stylish, not only trendy, because the style has staying power, and trends, as you know, come and go. So, if we follow this, we don’t believe we can lose.” Acar added.
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