Hotel Fontenot
Client
Kimpton Hotel Fontenot offers a prime location in the Central Business District of New Orleans, just steps away from the French Quarter and Arts District. The hotel features three signature dining and cocktail concepts — King Brasserie, Peacock Room, and Gospel Coffee and Boozy Treats — and creative programming for locals and visitors alike. Inspired by iconic Louisiana fiddle player Canray Fontenot, the hotel pays homage to the Crescent City’s rich arts culture, iconic musicians and stellar cocktail scene.
Challenge
Giant Noise worked with the Kimpton and property teams to launch Hotel Fontenot and its dining and cocktail concepts into the New Orleans market. Our social media teams worked to enhance brand awareness and expand reach to new audiences within top markets.
Approach
Launch Strategy → Building Prestige
What We Did
Giant Noise worked with the property and brand teams to bring in several members of the media. Through outreach and invitations, members of the local, regional, national and international media were introduced to the restaurant, its menu, Executive Chef Samuel Peery and Pastry Chef Lanna Talley, the design of the space and more. Giant Noise also drafted announcements and coordinated press opportunities and coverage around several holiday menus and special events during 2023, resulting in coverage from Eater NOLA, Times-Picayune, New Orleans magazine and others.
In terms of social media, Giant Noise focused on several key messaging pillars, all of which performed well with engagement rates from 4% to 6% — higher than industry average. We also posted three times a week with a mix of reels, in-feed static posts and stories. Giant Noise hosted four photo and videshoots from January through August, creating over 400 images and videos, an average of 100 assets per shoot. We actively vetted incoming influencer requests and selected three to partner with for hosted stays. Lastly, using our influencer strategy, we generated 27-plus pieces of user-generated content, generating over 400K impressions within these new audiences and earning over 25K engagements.
Results
With total estimated media impressions of 650M in 2023 and 325 press hits, our initiatives have garnered extensive visibility and recognition. Through media partnerships, influencer stays and hostings, we facilitated 40 opportunities, enhancing the hotel’s exposure and appeal. Hotel Fontenot’s excellence has been duly acknowledged through prestigious awards, including Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 10 New Orleans Hotels and US News’ Top 25 Hotels in New Orleans, among others.
Moreover, our social media campaigns led to notable growth, with a 37% increase in Instagram followers and a 21% increase on Facebook. Impressions soared to 541K on Instagram and 952K on Facebook, accompanied by impressive engagement rates of 1.7% and 6%, respectively. Leveraging influencer partnerships, we generated 419K impressions and 25K engagements, further solidifying Hotel Fontenot’s standing as a premier destination.
