MARRIOTT x MANCHESTER UNITED
ACTIVATING A BRAND PARTNERSHIP
In 2020, Marriott Hotels and Manchester United announced a multi-year marketing partnership, giving the 120 million members of the Marriott Bonvoy travel program exclusive opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime Manchester United experiences. As the first ever Official Hotel Partner of Manchester United, Marriott Hotels created a series of UK wide activation and exclusive experiences to create a buzz and bring this exclusive brand partnership to life.
THE BRIEF
Establish Marriott Hotels as the Official Hotel Partner, enhance the brand perception and bring to life Marriott Hotels’ and Manchester United’s ‘United Quest for Brilliance’.
MANCHESTER MARRIOTT VICTORIA & ALBERT HOTEL
Working with design agency, 22 Degrees, we transformed two Junior Suites and eight Superior Rooms at the Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert hotel into some of Manchester United’s most celebrated moments throughout history. The redesigned rooms balance tailored utility with contemporary style and include luxurious king size beds, Seat of Dreams replicas from Old Trafford, historic Manchester United artwork, co-branded collateral, large walk in wardrobes and premium locker room displays full of exclusive Manchester United memorabilia.
MANCHESTER UNITED’S GLORIOUS HISTORY
To build buzz around the in room activity, and further acknowledge Manchester United’s unrivalled history, we worked with creative agency, The Park, to create a pop up installation in the lobby of the Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel celebrating 8 of the carefully selected moments from the past 142 years of Manchester United. The installation was open to the public for a limited time only and displayed exclusive memorabilia and curated archive footage showcasing Manchester United’s football legends in action.
THE SEAT OF DREAMS
To elevate the match day experience, we created The Seat of Dreams to offer passionate fans the best seat in the house, putting them in the heart of the action! The exciting new addition to Old Trafford, is the only concept of its kind to be found within a UK sporting stadium and represents Manchester United and Marriott Hotels’ commitment to engaging with fans in innovative and inspiring ways. The Seat of Dreams is awarded to fans at random through a complimentary upgrade to their existing match ticket - one of Marriott Hotels’ ways of giving back to the Club’s dedicated supporters.
M CLUB AT OLD TRAFFORD
To provide our Marriott Bonvoy Elite members with an elevated experience at Old Trafford, we created an exclusive hospitality suite modelled on the Marriott Hotel’s signature M Club, the 24/7 business lounge for Marriott Bonvoy members. The M Club at Old Trafford offers Elite members VIP access to all of Manchester United’s home games throughout the season, complete with executive seating and complimentary food and drinks.