ANDREW FREEMAN Presents

Dancing With The Gays:

Make All The Right Moves To Survive and Thrive

Who is Andrew Freeman?

Launched over 50 hotels and restaurants •  Re-launched Windows of the World •  Rainbow Room •  Russian Tea Room

Kimpton Hotels •  10 year tenure as VP of Restaurant Sales & Marketing

•  Launched Kimpton LGBT travel program

100% on Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 7 years running

Currently is President of namesake hospitality marketing and public relations firm, with offices in both San Francisco and New York

He’s been gay since birth, and out since age 30

Andrew Freeman & Co. Clients*

*Full client list can be found at www.andrewfreemanandco.com

BASIC STEPS   Be LGBT friendly in every experiential aspect, including:

  Greeting language - Example: language that the front desk uses upon check-in – don’t immediately offer two beds for two LGBT guests

  Staff - Internal LGBT sensitivity training is imperative for staff; when possible, Staff should feature LGBT employees at the front desk, reception, host stand, etc.

  Amenities   Packages

This is the year of living DANGEROUSLY! So take some risks and give guests a lot of excitement…

…Is it also the year of Dirty Dancing?

Waltz with Them: Create Transcending Experiences

  Know your audience and make your LGBT guests feel welcome!

  Concierge must be familiar with straight AND gay bars/events/happenings.

  The LGBT community travels more than any other demographic - DINK (Dual Income No Kids) consumers are a prime target for hotels and restaurants, especially in this economic climate.

  LGBT community loves to be wined and dined – hotel restaurants must be up to date on food, wine and cocktail trends.

  LGBT guests will use featured amenities more than any other demographic.

  LGBT travel programs: each hotel should have a special LGBT program, catering to and customized for this demographic   example: for a gay male couple, provide His & His robes…down to the quality of

the shampoo, the lighting, and all amenities.

“Nobody puts Baby in the corner…”

Dance Partners for Life: Be Loyal

  The LGBT consumer wants to know that their business is appreciated – show the love and experience the power of their loyalty and referrals.

  Guest loyalty programs give more out, more often, in efforts to boost business and keep a strong relationship.

  Statistics: Loyalty is up 19% in a tough economy. (Hospitality Technology magazine)

Now, Let’s Dance!

The steps and moves to survive and thrive…

Modern Dance: Social Media

LGBT consumers are very social media savvy:

  Use Facebook and Twitter to promote packages, events, etc. to attract and maintain LGBT business.

  The Will & Grace effect: give gay men a great experience and they’ll refer their sophisticated straight female counterparts to your restaurant/hotel - Straight women will refer their gay friends as well.

Quick-Step: Stay Up-To-Date

In the Now – Twitter, iPhones and the like have created immediacy   I want what I want and I want it NOW – with as much information

as possible.   See the pick-up of high-tech, integrated POS systems, faster fire

times, and in the minute marketing.

“There’s an App for that…”

Touch-screen interfaces - For check in and/or placing orders   Paying with the swipe of a card.   Examples: Incentient, Virgin Air snackbar, Touchscreen tourist

maps in Stanford Court (SF).

No More Ballroom: Putting Off The Ritz

The LGBT market lives and loves comfortable luxury.

Function meets form – we still love our products and luxuries, but now it’s about simple quality.

Hotels are about creating home environments with ease, forgoing the finery for now and keeping ambiance, service, and amenities simple, green and comfortable.

Don’t go over the top; it’s a realistic extension of home.

  Example: 400 thread count sheets are fine, and when it comes to relaxation, a good cotton robe goes a lot farther than a silk throw.

Polka-Dot Foxtrot: Let Us Entertain You

Not everyone wants to meet new people at a club. The lobby as living room concept gets even more fun and social with pinball, pool tables, foosball.

•  Hotel Examples: Movie Nights, Makeover Madness, “Dancing With the Stars” and “American Idol” Viewing Parties, Talent Nights.

Bars and restaurants can get in on the action with interactive games, changing wine boards and hyped up active atmospheres

•  Examples: Changing railway style specials that change RN74 (SF); Buckhunt at Bloodhound (SF); Kozy Car (SF) offers car seating and porn magazine flooring.

The Lift: Guest Who’s Coming To Dinner

Invite notable LGBT personalities in their fields like chefs, actors, designers, fitness gurus and singers and give guests the ultimate experience by creating specialty LGBT Celebrity Suites.

Create a sense of unique access for both the guests and the stars.

  Examples: Invite Isaac Mizrahi, Rufus Wainwright, Jonathan Adler, Rosie O’Donnell, Jamie Lauren, Nathan Lane, Ellen DeGeneres and gay pop stars to do interesting programs and stay at the hotel in the signature suites.

  Offer an upgrade to stay in the Nate Berkus Suite or a special package to sing a few songs with Rufus Wainwright.

  Bonus: Charity tie-ins make the package even more appealing to the stars.

Take a Break-dance and Swing Alfresco-Style:

Experience the Experience Discovery is in - guests are in search of vacations that allow them to “get

involved.”

Farm stays, winery bootcamp programs, voluntourism, and cooking classes are great escapes from the reality of everyday life.

  Examples: Feather Down Farms (all over Europe); Stony Creek Farm (NY); Liberty Hill Farm (Vermont)

Speak to your LGBT audience by offering gay volunteerism opportunities. Guests can enjoy a get-away stay and give back to a near and dear cause all at the same time.

  Examples: AIDS walk weekends, HRC weekends, donate a percentage to charity.

  Kimpton Red Ribbon Campaign and Pride Weekends.

A Rumba with a View: Let’s Get Really Personal

Customization goes to the next level to create the at-home feeling.

Design at every touch-point is being personalized: Everything from the lighting to the sink can be tweaked to be the perfect combination of flattering and practical.

Return visitors have access to cubby lockers where they can store their favorite personal items, and hotels have them set up in-room each time a guest returns.

Speak the language of details; sure, the bathroom may look beautiful, but do guests actually have room to unpack their products?

  Examples: Bedding, lighting, furniture, deskspace, counterspace, digital photoframes – all personalized.

  Set Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand on the playlist, offer Advocate and Out magazines on the coffee table, and provide his and his towels in the bathroom.

Heavy Petting On The Dance Floor: Kids Allowed

Swap Dick and Jane for Spot and Rover – in LGBT travel, pets are part of the package.

  Examples: Kimpton’s “HosPETality Unleashed” provides everything pet-friendly from dog walking to grooming to in-room snacks so that LGBT guests can bring their family with them.

  The W offers a version called “PAW” (Pets Are Welcome).

It Takes Two To Tango: The Three C’s – Community/Charity/

Commercial Liaisons   Combine your resources for success.

  Partner up with like minded products and services

  Give back – support charities and allow guests to choose where their money goes   Hotel Shattuck (Berkeley) with the Berkeley Rep.

  Partner up and host gay events! These parties are great for exposure and networking and can be financially rewarding   Example: A-List

Small-Medium-Large: One Size Does Not Fit All - Hotels

Small and quirky hotels offer a unique experience, and often at a more budget friendly price.

Loose the traditional hotel accoutrements and replace with an alternative vibe.

LGBT are early adapters: Since straights tend to be points-driven in their travel and hotel choices (so they can get those kiddies to Disney Land), LGBT guests are ideal candidates for new and experiential stays.

  Examples: The Pod (NY); Hotel Airstream (Newport Beach)

Small-Medium-Large: One Size Does Not Fit All - Restaurants

  Suit-Your-Size – One size doesn’t always fit all. Entrees available in small and large sizes lets guests tailor the experience to size. Call it the shrinking waste-line.   Example: Barbacco (SF)

  Micro Plates – Small is now smaller. With smaller budgets and more flexible menus we’ll see the equivalent of cocktail hors d’oeuvres; something to nibble with your drink before (or in lieu of) a full meal.   Mini tacos, snack sized empanadas, finger sandwiches,

sliders, and riblets.   Examples: Ubuntu (Napa), Level lll (SF), Waterboy

(Sacramento), Bar Bambino (SF)

The Sock Hop with a Twist: Restaurants Get Retro

  This Is a Stick Up - Small foods on a stick. Skewers, satay, and yakitori; no ifs, ands or kebabs about it.   Examples: Satay at Pranna, Prosciutto lollipop at Delfina,

  The Fabulous Fifties – It’s the revival of old-school salad dressings and dips. Blue cheese, green goddess, thousand island and louis dressing. Pimento cheese, and onion dip, with a contemporary spin.

  Eat Street - Food truck tweet-up, a mash-up of narrowly focused food purveyors clustered together and sharing a communal seating area. The new block party.

  All in One Plate – The carte du jour gets combined for one plate in this new set plate special.   Examples: TV Dinner at FIVE (Berkeley); Quadrifoglio at SD26 (NY)

Shake It Up, Baby: Active Bars Scenes

  Keep a fresh bar and cocktail program – that’s always a draw for guests of the hotel and destination visitors, alike.   Invite guest bartenders and competitions.   Partner with boutique and artisan liquors to create unique

drink offerings and events.

  Include food options - and especially pairings - whenever possible to make longer stays and more rounds comfortable and convenient for guests, as well as offer an exclusive flavor experience

Forecast: Foods that will define 2010

  Eggs: deviled, pickled and deep fried

  Sous vide fruit relishes – served with both savories and sweets

  Pasta: ramen, soba and spaghetti

  Legs & Feet

  Retro soda fountain flavors not just in drinks(root beer, vanilla cream, black cherry, cola, sasparilla, and chicory)

  Spices: Berbere, Sechuan Buttons, Rosewater, Wattleseed in desserts

  Fried Chicken (Southern, Filipino, Korean, and creative global interprations)

  Fritters & Croquettes

  Aged Black Garlic

  Hard Ciders

  Korean foods

In the Year of Living Dangerously…

Give them a little dirty dancing!

And remember:

“First the gays, then the girls, then everyone catches on…”

- Samantha of “Sex in the City”

Get a Perfect Score in 2010!