What If?
A Marketing Experiment to Build Emotional Connection at Pier Sixty-Six
At Pier Sixty-Six, we’re entering an exciting new chapter—reintroducing an icon to the world. With our grand reopening underway, one question sits at the heart of our content strategy:
What kind of storytelling creates the deepest emotional connection before a guest ever steps foot on property?
As we look ahead, every piece of content must do more than showcase beauty, it has to build belief. In luxury hospitality, especially for a destination with as much legacy and transformation as Pier Sixty-Six, inspiration is just the beginning. The goal is to spark feeling, the kind that turns curiosity into loyalty.
The Experiment: Storytelling vs. Aesthetic Content
The experiment would test two types of content across Instagram and email:
- Campaign A: Visual-first content featuring stunning renderings, amenity spotlights, and sleek design moments. This is what most expect from a luxury coastal resort.
- Campaign B: Story-first content. Think video snippets of a bartender crafting a drink that will be on our menu, a time-lapse of the rotating lounge’s transformation, or a heartfelt story from someone who got married here pre-renovation.
We’d measure performance not just by likes or impressions, but by saves, shares, dwell time, and direct responses (DMs, email clicks, survey feedback), plus short post-campaign polls asking, “Which moment stuck with you and why?”
Why It’s Needed
Pier Sixty-Six didn’t just open—it’s returned. We’re reviving an icon, and with that comes legacy, emotion, and anticipation. Our challenge is to bridge nostalgia and newness, and doing so requires more than just aesthetics. We need to know: what kind of content builds a sense of belonging before guests even arrive?
This experiment helps us identify the tone, cadence, and format that make people feel like they’re already part of the story.
How It Helps Me Grow in My Role
As a Sales and Marketing Coordinator, being able to shape content strategy with data-backed storytelling insights would elevate how we position Pier Sixty-Six across all channels. It sharpens my ability to blend brand strategy with creative execution, skills I’ll carry into future roles in brand marketing for luxury hospitality.
More than anything, this experiment is about honoring what Pier Sixty-Six stands for: a sense of place, a feeling of connection, and moments that stay with you long after check-out.