IHG’s Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has pledged to feature more diverse creators in its social media and marketing after a recent survey conducted by the brand revealed consumers are seeking more authentic and inclusive travel content.
The survey of more than 4,000 people from Australia, Japan, the UK and the US found there was high demand for more diverse representation in social media content from travel brands, with 85% of respondents calling for the content to be more inclusive of all kinds of travellers, and 84% believing that travel brands could do more to support a diverse set of travel creators.
The research uncovered a gap between current content and the actual desired of consumers with calls for greater authenticity in a world where pressure to be ‘social media-worthy’ is negatively impacting travel experiences. Respondents (76%) said that more realistic depictions of travel from content creators would be more valuable than existing travel content.
“At Kimpton we take pride in being a different type of hotel,” said Kimpton’s Chief Commercial Officer, Kathleen Reidenbach.
“Our founding principles have us rooted in human connection and delivering a ‘Stay Human’ experience. We want our guests and our employees to be comfortable and embraced for being their most authentic selves, no matter their pronoun, skin colour or body type.
“However, we know that social media and marketing content within the travel industry hasn’t always reflected the people and experiences that truly make up our global community. That’s why we are committed to diving deeper into the foundation of our Stay Human brand ethos with new brand commitments that will continue to change the way we work with creators, the imagery we share and the experiences we offer.”
Kimpton said it will feature more creators, guests and models with diversity in ethnicity, religion, language, size, age and disability, with at least 75% of Kimpton brand-contracted creators to reflect its commitments to increased inclusivity and authenticity.
“We pledge to address current gaps in travel content – beginning with a commitment to present zero digital distortion of individuals and enhancing how we share information that is critical for travellers with disabilities and ensuring all content is truly accessible to all,” Kimpton said.
“To start we will require all of those in the Kimpton Creator Collective to post on social media with alt-text and image descriptions to increase the level of accessibility for disabled audiences.”
The first-ever Kimpton Creator Collective will be made up of creators with diverse perspectives who will serve as consultants on brand content and property experiences.