The Queens Hotel
Category
HospitalityRESTABLISHING A REGIONAL TREASURE
THE BRIEF
Back in 2020, we won a pitch to successfully re-launch a regional treasure, The Queens Hotel in Leeds.
Standing proud for over 80 years in the city, The Queens Hotel was undergoing a £16million redevelopment and it was our job to ensure everyone not only knew about it, but to create a strategy that restores and repositions the hotel to its former glory, re-establishing the venue as the place to stay, meet, celebrate, eat, drink and socialise.
In 2023, Stockholm-based company Pandox, known for its portfolio of about 159 hotels across 12 counties, acquired The Queens. The Queens is now operated as an independent brand in collaboration with UK based Axiom Hospitality.
Thanks to our previous results, we were appointed once again to oversee PR, event management and social media for the hotel and shout about its re-brand under the new ownership.
THE RESULTS
We generated over 30 pieces of redevelopment announcement coverage back in January 2021, with a reach of 813million online. We also created a hugely successful social media launch campaign, increasing engagement by 20,000% on Facebook, 157% on Twitter and 1100% on Instagram.
In 2024, to shout about the hotel’s re-brand, we developed an engaging animated campaign. ‘Elevate Your Expectations’ combined creativity with sustainability, engaging the public and influencers, while promoting eco-friendly practices and positioning Leeds as a forward-thinking city.
The campaign was anchored by a surrealist animated video that depicted the hotel being carried through the skies of Leeds by thousands of balloons in the rebrand colours, before settling into its iconic location at City Square.
In tandem with the digital launch, we hosted an event at the hotel, which saw models in pastel suits hand out 500 biodegradable balloons throughout Leeds. Each balloon came with a QR code that linked to a competition offering a chance to win a stay at the hotel. The event created a visual spectacle that drew in passers-by, and the branded balloons carried the hotel’s message across the city.
In addition, we also hosted an VIP influencer and press event. Influencers were invited to experience the newly re-branded hotel, enjoying a three-course lunch, a live DJ set, and personalised tours.
The campaign was covered in titles, including: Yahoo News, MSN, Leeds Live, Yorkshire Evening Post, Hotel Owner and Visit Leeds. The event had a combined influencer reach of nearly 500,000 followers and the video achieved 50,000 views on The Queens social channels alone.
Later in the year to help leverage key M&E relationships for the hotel team, we also planned a party for corporate VIPs that saw a life size hot air balloon centrepiece takeover the hotel’s restaurant. As part of the event, we also had a DJ, illusionist and bespoke Queen themed cocktails. This event helped to seal the deal on several large bookings and is still one of the hotel’s most talked about events.
