Why Marriott Bonvoy Made a Video Game on Fornite

16.12.2023 - 20:29 / skift.com / Marriott Bonvoy / Justin Dawes

In the world of TikTok and social media influencers, hotels and tourism agencies have had to experiment with new ways of reaching younger audiences. 

Marriott Bonvoy, the loyalty program for Marriott International, took that experimentation to the next level as the first hotel company to release a video game within the online world Fortnite.

Skift spoke with Brian Povinelli, global head of marketing and brand at Marriott International, about how the experiment has been going and what could be next.

Fortnite is most well-known as an online fighting game. But it is much more than that, including as a metaverse containing multiple independent places where players can meet, attend events, and play other sorts of games. It exploded in popularity during the pandemic as a place where people gathered virtually for gameplay as well as for concerts by Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, movie screenings, and more.

Marriott Bonvoy Land is a self-contained digital park within the Fortnite world where players can explore representations of four of the company’s brands: Moxy Hotels, Westin Hotels & Resorts, W Hotels & Resorts, and Autograph Collection Hotels. 

Povinelli said establishing the park was a way to promote the fact that Marriott Bonvoy covers 32 brands, and some are designed for younger generations. The company has other advertising initiatives focused more on driving bookings.

“Gaming became a very interesting platform for us because we believe if we could integrate into the gameplay, we have a much longer period of time, potentially, to have people engaged and learn and understand what these brand experiences are about without actually having to travel and go to a hotel,” Povinelli said.

Moxie, for example, has no traditional front desk. Check-in happens at the bar and comes with a free cocktail. 

“Moxie is a brand that was built for the younger generations,” Povinelli said. “They’re very focused on engaging in the public space, creating a real lively food and beverage atmosphere. So it’s about introducing them to this brand that’s out there that they probably would have great interest in — we just need them to be more aware of it.”

Players enter in the center square of Marriott Bonvoy Land and can roam the park as they wish.

The virtual park contains four hotel buildings that are not exact replicas but include a lobby and some other aspects of the real thing. Each hotel contains short games to promote exploration of the properties and what they offer. 

The Westin hotel has a race that shows off the brand’s fitness center, pool, and spa offerings. The W Hotel labyrinth-style game leads the players toward the rooftop pool and bar, where the avatars can dance to music from a DJ. The Autograph Collection