On the one hand, this is so minor. On the other hand…
Yesterday some major changes were announced to the Marriott Bonvoy program, including overwhelmingly negative award redemption category shifts for hotels, as well as the introduction of capacity controls for award redemptions at legacy Starwood properties.
Marriott Bonvoy hasn’t emailed members about these changes yet, though instead they’re emailing members to market them… thongs.
Marriott is sending some Bonvoy members “Love Is In The Air” emails, encouraging them to “Discover Valentine’s Day gifts for the one you love.”
They are promoting the EDITION online store, which sells everything from Le Labo toiletries, to faux fur throws, to bowling balls, to… thongs. And these are even explicitly called out in this marketing material.
“A black lace thong makes the perfect cheeky gift,” they say.
Going to the EDITION shop website, the thong is described as follows:
The Valentine NYC Thong, exclusively created for EDITION Hotels, is just the essential you need for life’s unexpected turns. Featured in our minibars, this luxuriously soft and stretchy mid-rise lingerie was designed to feel like a second skin. A wide stretch lace waistband and mesh and cotton body gently adorns the body for ultimate comfort.
I’ll admit I’m not their target demographic here, though I’m not sure I understand how a thong makes a “perfect cheeky gift,” or how it’s “the essential you need for life’s unexpected turns.”
Not only do I not understand either description, but aren’t “cheeky” and “essential” on opposite ends of the necessity spectrum? Well, unless “cheeky” is in fact a play on words.
Of course many will point out Marriott’s Mormon roots, though this is an area in which the company has become more progressive over the years. While they still have bibles in the rooms of most of their hotels, they’ve been openly supporting the LGBT community for years, and for a long time they also had pay per view porn on their TVs (not that supporting the LGBT community and offering in-room porn are comparable, in my opinion).
Still, there’s something about that email that just seems a bit… off.
(Tip of the hat to LoyaltyLobby)
Lucky, perhaps you could try this and review? Or are you a bigot and think homosexual men are not allowed to wear these?
Why not go a little further and sell condoms.
This strongly represents their brand image.
Convince you how great their condoms are today, and nine months later.
You have been Bonvoyed.
I think a blog giveaway has not been done for a long time. @lucky . This with the United cookbook?? Lol
I can't imagine how excited Lucky must be at the thought of ordering these for everyone he loves. Marriott is on a roll, absolutely killing it.
@the sad state of our country
you mean that 5 times divorced philander?
Lighten up FNT and Sad State. Marketing thongs has nothing to do with DT, family values or anything else. Valentines day is coming that is all! My wife would look great in these!
I’m additional to the Bible, they often have the Book of Mormon.
Well, in all fairness, a crotchless Temple garment would have been shot down as mocking the very idea.
And yes, Mitt did his faith in America a solid.
Who says you're not the target demographic, Lucky? To each their own on what they like to wear at a swanky EDITION behind closed doors. ;)
Lucky, seriously? This can be news only in the US, home to the world’s largest porn industry, the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in the industrialized world, and the most conservative “family values”.
I love wearing thongs. Makes me feel sexy.
That's exactly why we need more of the conservative, family values that trump so well represents and spoke about at SOTU.
It means butt cheeks.
This is so uncouth, even for a "progressive" company. Mr Marriott should be ashamed of what Arne Sorenson is doing.
Nothing says sexy like Marriott branded lingerie. So I did order some but they didn't fit me.
Are they edible?
'Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this and totally redeem yourself!'
"Cheeky" seems to be a fairly obvious play on words in this situation.
I was not targeted for this offer