Zuji is not averse to taking risks. Which is just as well for director of marketing Philip Ho, one of the original employees when the brand debuted four short years ago, in the summer of 2001.
Since then, of course, Zuji has weathered a dotcom downturn and tourist tragedies to emerge as a true pioneer in its category. Along the way, meanwhile, it has earned a reputation for the unorthodox, which is something that suits Ho just fine.
"My background is really about innovation, and what can we do differently to take business leadership," notes Ho. "Being an innovator is our core positioning."
Zuji's latest attempt to raise eyebrows is its Hotel Guru campaign, comprising three viral TVCs that feature the unpleasant side of 'blind' hotel bookings. The ads, created by M&C Saatchi Singapore, are undeniably compelling in their treatment of the hotel pitfalls that await the unprepared. Too much so for Discovery, which refused to air one of the three, on the grounds that it was too racy. "We anticipated a positive side effect," says Ho, of the decision to include a viral component to the campaign. "It could be that (at other companies) too much is at stake and risk-taking is not an important part of the culture."
Ho's career background could be viewed in this manner, as an evolution from the risk-averse waters of Singapore Airlines, through the regional vice-president of sales and marketing position at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, to his current role at Zuji. The decision to join Zuji, he notes, was prompted by the tremendous opportunity afforded by the online environment, although he still feels there is a great deal of work to be done.
"I was inspired to join Zuji on the basis of what the online business could do to change consumer behaviour," explains Ho. "Getting more people to buy online is a key challenge. Today, online travel is five to 10 per cent in the region, compared to 33 per cent in the US." To do this, Ho believes that creativity is key to breaking through the clutter. Significantly, he has no agency experience -- which he feels, allows him to focus on what he does best. "It allows me to empower the agencies much more," he says. "There is a real tendency to try and do the agency job, but the benefit I've had is it has allowed me to step back."
According to Ho, Zuji's adspend has shifted from being predominantly offline at launch, to increasingly online, which is unsurprising for an online brand. In particular, Ho sees the newer technologies as key to Zuji's continued success in the game. "We're not afraid to try out new technologies, and we've been testing more sophisticated email marketing and we're looking at SMS," he says. "It's important because of media fragmentation."
With the continuing evolution of the online space in Asia, furthermore, Ho sees considerable mileage in Zuji's 'get online not in line' offering. He returns to innovation, however, as the key to unlocking this particular treasure chest.
"We do that through marketing innovations," he explains, pointing to the 'World on Sale' concept which will soon be extended in the region. "We're always looking for ways to take it to the next level." Unsurprisingly, Ho lists his major passion as travel, and is currently prepping a trip to Shangri-La. As a typical Zuji target himself, he has little hesitation in describing the brand's consumer profile as independent travellers, aged 25 to 40 and affluent. The important factor, he notes, is the ability to offer control and choice.
"No SIA loyalist is ever going to leave them," he says. "But someone who wants choice will come to us. The idea that you can pick and choose is quite empowering."
