Shangri-La launches New Television Commercial

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, is launching a new television commercial. The commercial, "Find your Shangri-La", portrays the group's dynamic development whilst maintaining its genuine focus on Asian Hospitality.

The group had very specific objectives explains Brendan Inns, Vice President of Corporate Marketing. "We wanted something more dramatic, captivating and involving than the typical hotel commercial. We also wanted to convey that we are an exciting and expanding group with our roots in Asia Pacific."

"But most importantly," he continued, "we wanted to show that from the grandest of surroundings down to the smallest service touches, every hotel epitomizes the finest in Asian service and hospitality." 

"Find your Shangri-La" was shot for a budget of nearly US$ 2 million. The commercial was written by Stephen Ward and TBWA\Hong Kong, with the Australian director, David Gaddie. "We were using some of the latest Hollywood production techniques," says Neil Ducray, Managing Director of TBWA\Hong Kong. "David assembled an extraordinary team, including an assistant director from "Lord of the Rings" and a director of photography from the "Matrix". Between them the crew had been involved in work that had won many Academy Awards!"

The commercial's production title is "swoop" because it employs a special technique where the camera seems to glide on wings, flying through the air, down to the ground, around corners, pausing, turning, swooping like a bird. And the viewer swoops with it. The effect is both distinctive and arresting. 

Five hotels are featured: Shangri-La Hotel Sydney; Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort, Cebu; Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong; Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok and the China World Hotel, Beijing. The camera swoops seamlessly from one to the next.

The spots, targeting both business and leisure travelers, were nearly half a year in production. The campaign will launch on 7 June on regional television stations: CNN, Discovery and ESPN, followed by local television stations in mainland China and Hong Kong. This will be complemented by a comprehensive schedule of in flight presentations on the group's global airline partner network.