Derek Chew, CEO of Fullmoon Digital, is steering his firm's expertise into the hospitality sector by aiding Ancient Lore Village, a boutique Tennessee resort, in its venture into e-commerce. Chew's approach, rooted in agile commerce strategies, aims to bridge the gap between traditional hospitality and the evolving digital marketing landscape.
WINDERMERE, Fla., Dec. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- After three years of unprecedented hardships, the hospitality industry is recovering, though concerns about the economy and staffing remain.(1) They re-emerge during a time when agility is more essential than ever to business growth, and in particular, marketing strategy.(2) Ancient Lore Village, a Tennessee resort, is pushing the boundaries of recovery by launching an e-commerce site in partnership with a leading digital consultancy. Derek Chew, CEO of Fullmoon Digital Media, says his firm is applying the agility and strategy they developed in performance marketing to implement 360 marketing for the resort hotel.
"We are thrilled to execute Ancient Lore Village's retail vision and expand our services in response to a gap we've seen for several years," Chew says. "Traditional marketing agencies cannot keep up with evolving digital marketing trends. Our agile commerce strategies are informed by consumer shopping habits and can be repurposed to support multiple social media platforms simultaneously."
This collaboration marks Fullmoon Digital Media's (FMDM) first journey into hospitality, aiming to support the industry's post-COVID recovery. Ancient Lore Village is a boutique Knoxville resort that takes guests back to a simpler time with activities like ax-throwing and archery while providing 5-star amenities. Its e-commerce website provides an additional revenue stream and marketing avenue for the theme-based location.
With an increase of 10% over last year, e-commerce is estimated to capture 42% of total retail sales growth in 2023.(3) With consumers facing ad fatigue and having a high mistrust of advertisers,(4) online retailers must keep up with the demands of the evolving digital marketing landscape to compete.
To help more companies who need e-commerce solutions, FMDM is a Shopify agency, soon to be Shopify Plus. They offer their real-world experience to the digital world, getting new online retailers onto the platform and growing rapidly while avoiding common delays and pitfalls.
As experts in leveraging first-party data to produce effective social commerce and multicultural marketing campaigns, FMDM offers online retailers targeted, agile media planning and buying, adaptive social campaigns, and much more.
For Ancient Lore Village, FMDM developed a streamlined website that mimics the immersive and whimsical experience of the resort. Guests can purchase branded items like robes, bedding, housewares, and gifts to commemorate their stay.
As an industry, hospitality is under constant pressure to adapt.(5) Ancient Lore Village's collaboration with FMDM harnesses the growing dominance of e-commerce and represents a smart step for the boutique resort.
Chew comments, "The e-commerce platform is not just a revenue generator; it's an extension of the Ancient Lore Village brand. It allows them to engage with guests long after their visit. This move builds a deeper connection with guests, allowing them to relive their stay and share it with others."
Melissa Blettner, the Chief Executive Officer of Ancient Lore Village, says about the partnership, "We're excited to enter this new phase of our business with Full Moon leading the digital charge! We've been dreaming of bringing our on-site Gift Shop to life online and, after working together for two short months, their team has shown us their passion for not only what they do, but also in seeing the future successes of Ancient Lore Village as we grow! Win, win — and, we couldn't be happier."
As the hospitality industry navigates its way through the challenges of the post-COVID era, it's clear that agility, innovation, and a willingness to embrace new technologies are key to success. Ancient Lore Village's bold move, backed by FMDM's expertise and tailored marketing approach, exemplifies how businesses can adapt and thrive in this new landscape.
About Fullmoon Digital
Fullmoon Digital Media, founded by Derek Chew, a former early Yahoo! employee, is one of the few 100% independent digital marketing agencies in the United States. The firm is cross-functional, with deep experience in media planning and buying, digital consultancy, SEO, digital strategy, programmatic, analytics, performance marketing, paid media, social advertising, and creative. They push the envelope of what is possible in terms of marketing and technology, all the while providing best-in-class digital marketing service to their "pack" of clients. For more information, please visit http://www.fullmoondigital.com.
References:
1. "Report: Hotels Continue to Recover in 2023 as Industry Begins New Era of Operations." AMERICAN HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION, 30 Jan. 2023, ahla.com/news/report-hotels-continue-recover-2023-industry-begins-new-era-operations.
2. Gulin-Merle, Marie. "Why Agility Is Critical to Business Growth." Harvard Business Review, 14 Sept. 2022, hbr.org/sponsored/2022/09/why-agility-is-critical-to-business-growth.
3. Wichser, J.D., et al. "2023 Online Retail Report." FTI Consulting, 10 July 2023, fticonsulting.com/insights/reports/2023-online-retail-report.
4. Dan, Avi. "7 Reasons People Hate Your Ads and What Do about It." Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 8 Nov. 2022, forbes.com/sites/avidan/2022/06/27/7-reasons-people-hate-your-ads-and-what-do-about-it/.
5. Mathews, Binu. "Hospitality Industry in 2023: Responding to New Trends: By Binu Mathews." Hospitality Net, Hospitality Net, 9 Jan. 2023, hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4114325.html.
Media Contact
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SOURCE Fullmoon Digital
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