How Hospitality Brands Can Win with Amazon DSP – Expert Insights from Rachael Alter
In the fast-changing world of digital advertising, standing out is more challenging than ever - especially for tourism and hospitality brands. With evolving traveler behaviors, mobile-first engagement, and the power of AI-driven ad targeting, brands must rethink how they connect with audiences.
To understand some of the latest strategies, we spoke with Rachael Alter, Global Product Lead at Amazon DSP. With over two decades of experience in digital marketing and a deep understanding of programmatic ad-tech, Rachael has helped brands across 23 markets scale their advertising efforts.
In this interview, she shares how Amazon DSP provides a competitive edge for hospitality brands, the latest global advertising trends, and her personal take on the future of travel marketing.
With over two decades of experience in digital marketing, how has the evolution of programmatic advertising shaped your approach to helping brands in tourism and hospitality thrive on platforms like Amazon DSP?
Without giving away my age, I have experienced pretty much the birth of digital marketing and seen the coming and going of many digital players in my time in this space. It has given me the perspective of a very fast changing industry that has always aimed to solve the next problem of efficiency and digital growth. With the technologies and algorithms in the tech stacks that have led to exponential improvements -brands that wholeheartedly grasp what these developments have to offer in regards to connectability, attribution and measurability implementing it on the basis of their companies Marketing stacks -would certainly succeed and thrive.
But what I have also learned in my experience in this time is that a core aspect never changes and that is that Advertising and Marketing is a very human experience - our language, what motivates us, what excites us, where are we all choosing to hang out ? And how do we get personal with each other even though there is this divide of time and space even through this “digital connectivity”.
The successful marriage of the two worlds together makes for a very compelling and efficient advertising strategy.
I advise my Hospitality and Tourism clients to use their data about their customers to personalize their messages and connect to them on various levels and touch points.
When they are on the upper funnel - So when they are unassuming and open to discover we can impress and exhilarate and grow our brand's affection. And that's by using big format lifestyle type of advertising like bigscreen CTV and instream videos that tell our brands story - where we fit in in their specific lives and desires.
And on the Lower Funnels - When they show signals for intention we need to remain first of mind and be compelling towards a desirable call for action with other advertising formats that can answer for the need for immediate action.
And then Combining these funnels through a sytem like Amazon DSP - where we can get together the full picture and make educated analysis and hone in on our campaigns objectives as the full funnels work together.
What unique advantages does Amazon DSP offer for tourism and hospitality brands looking to stand out in a crowded digital advertising landscape?
Often marketers assume that Amazon is only an e-commerce platform as they know it from the popular e-com site Amazon.com but actually AmazonAds is the 3rd largest advertising platform in the world after Google and Meta.
Its produces smart devices such as Alexa and FireTV and FireTablet that are household names - and they are incorporated into AmazonsAds . The massively huge entertainment channels of Prime Video (btw larger than Netflix in ad support and reach ) and Twitch as the number one influencer streaming platform for GenZ and Millennials as well as Amazon Music and Audible all which are ad supported to name just a portion.
Its properties sit in our lives seamlessly and most often we don't even know the connection as Amazon Ads . But actually all these platforms are interconnected and hold direct access to us in intimate and premium moments in our lives. It is the deep knowledge and unique data about us all and the diverse ad connectivity that is possible
You’ve worked across 23 markets—what trends or behaviors have you noticed in how travelers engage with digital advertising globally, and how can tourism brands better adapt to these trends?
On the most basic - we are mobile first especially as travelers so we should be adapted to the medium and hold value for customers on the move and as a personal space. Each market is its own and should be addressed and personalised according to appropriation and language. Its unique attractions might be diverse but should match up with the personas such as Family traveling with Children, Adventure seekers, Business travelers etc.
Many tourism and hospitality businesses struggle with effectively targeting the right audiences. What strategies or tools would you recommend to ensure their campaigns drive meaningful results?
Know your audience - use your data and 3rd party to recognise them and connect the dots and appropriate your message at different times. Reach your audience on multiple advertising levels to make sure that you remain top of mind, in an affluent head space - that you are on one hand growing affection and loyalty towards your brand but also have the necessary call for actions to drive commitment and sales. I encourage loyalty systems.
On a personal level, is there a travel experience or hospitality brand campaign that has inspired you in your work, and what can the industry learn from it?
Ohh good question. On a personal level, you're as likely to find me camping out in a tent on a mountain somewhere as in a boutique luxury hotel in some beautiful private beach. So I guess you can say that I am certainly out for the unique emerging experiences around the natural world.
But lately, I was traveling for work and had to add on an extra day in a big city and found a small boutique hospitality company that was almost 100% Staff-less and technology driven that provided a clean, safe and pretty lexuriouse experience without actually meeting anybody within the premises. So that was an eye opener about how that trend is taking foot and succeeding.