Greater China: Le Meridien ramps up sell for April opening

The print, signage, billboard and outdoor TV campaign which soft launched in February will be beefed up from this month through May as the opening approaches, according to Alka Alimchandani, who is tasked with 'Creating buzz' - as the designation on her name card states - for the 173-room boutique hotel.

Dean Schreiber, the hotel's general manager, remained tight-lipped about marketing plans, but promised a campaign that would make people sit up and take notice.

"There will be lots of activities that will draw attention to our name," he said, mindful of the danger that the fanfare surrounding the HK$350 million (US$50 million) hotel's opening could be "lost in the clutter" of Hong Kong's Rugby 7s at the end of this month and the continuing threat from Sars and avian 'flu.

"It's a challenge domestically, but internationally we'll be fine," said Schreiber.

The London-based hotel chain's creative is driven by TBWA, with local adaptation by multiple small agencies, explained Alimchandani. All media will be done in-house and local firm Communique will look after PR.

Prior to her new role at Le Meridien, Alimchandani was account director at TBWA/Hong Kong during her three-year stint with the agency.

The latest addition to the luxury hotel chain, which has 130 properties, is billed as a marriage between trendy and technology, cool and unconventional.

Situated in the heart of Hong Kong's emerging high-tech business park at Pokfulam, the hotel will be equipped for guests to check-in through wireless computers and PDAs in the lobby and restaurants.

Each hotel room will be fitted with a plasma flat-screen television providing wireless access to movies, video games, online chatting and flight information.

In targeting independent business travellers who sometimes arrive after midnight, the hotel will guarantee guests a 24-hour stay, regardless of their check-in time. "We are taking down all the traditions of the hotel.

If it isn't broken, we'll break it, and we will reinvent the wheel," said Schreiber. "We are adapting our services to fit the guest's profile. What we are reflecting is a new type of service that is very contemporary, very hip and very chic, and is actually what the guest wants rather than what we want them to have."