Interview: Marriott’s Travel Brilliantly Campaign Looks to the Wisdom of the Crowds

There’s a different energy these days internally at Marriott International, which has always been considered the standard bearer for the corporate hotel brand rooted in conservative tradition. The sweeping attitude change focuses on innovation and the modern traveler, and it's coming right from the top. Executive Chairman Bill Marriott, Jr. and CEO Arne Sorenson have been appearing regularly on television talking about the new direction at Marriott, and especially how they're adapting to Millennial travel trends, like this CNN program with correspondent Richard Quest. Both executives are also active online. Mr. Marriott is probably the only major hotel group chairman who blogs on a regular basis, and Sorenson has over 80,000 followers on LinkedIn. On the consumer-facing side, the first glimpse that changes at the brand were afoot began last March when Marriott announced its cryptic-sounding ”Underground” Innovation Lab at its Bethesda, Maryland HQ. This is standard opera