Marriott Expands Multicultural Communications Contract with Burrell

Marriott Expands Multicultural Communications Contract with Burrell

    Business Editors

    CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2005--Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) has expanded its contract with Burrell, one of the nation's largest African American-owned full-service communications agencies. Burrell will continue to provide consulting, marketing, and comprehensive planning and delivery of programs that provide visibility for Marriott's diversity initiatives. The agency will also play an integral role in outreach communication to minority travelers. Last year, Burrell helped Marriott promote several of its diversity initiatives, accomplishments and marketing initiatives. This year, Burrell will enlarge its scope to include expanding awareness of the company's multicultural supplier and franchise relations efforts.
    "Our relationship with Burrell is consistent with our commitment to diversity," said Dave Sampson, Marriott senior vice president of diversity initiatives. "This partnership has allowed us to leverage Burrell's expertise in marketing and communications to effectively demonstrate Marriott's diversity leadership position in the areas of employment, franchising and supplier diversity. Burrell will intensify efforts to communicate Marriott's brand messaging to that expanding diverse audience."
    Minority travelers are the fastest growing segment in the travel industry. According to the NAACP's travel research, African American travelers alone spend more than $35 billion on leisure and business travel. Last year, the Travel Industry Association of America released a report stating that Asian, African American and Hispanic travelers accounted for an estimated $90 billion of domestic travel expenditures in 2002.
    Burrell delivers advertising, marketing support, event promotions and planning, community relations, public relations, crisis management, media relations and other communications programs and services to its clients.
    Some of the 2004 Marriott diversity successes and marketing initiatives that Burrell helped promote include:

--	NAACP's recognition of Marriott as the top lodging company on its industry report card for the sixth year
--	Marriott's unique family reunion packages and initiatives at southern properties
--	The creation of a new diversity development initiative for women and minority franchisees, spearheaded by Norm Jenkins, newly promoted Marriott Senior Vice President for North American Lodging Development
--	Key recognitions from Latina Style, ESSENCE, DiversityInc., and Hispanic Magazine for Marriott's diversity workplace practices

    Annually, Marriott spends more than $150 million a year with minority- and women-owned businesses.

    Marriott International is a leading worldwide hospitality company with more than 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 64 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International. For more information, please visit www.marriott.com.

    Burrell is a full-service marketing communications company with offices in Chicago and Atlanta. In business for more than 30 years, Burrell is a leader in understanding and motivating consumer behavior in the African-American and Yurban(R) markets. The agency's client roster includes Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, Toyota, General Mills, Coca-Cola USA, Verizon, Sears, and others. For more information, visit www.burrell.com.

--30--AC/cg*

CONTACT: Burrell Chanda Rowan, 312-297-9786 crowan@burrell.com or Marriott International Stephanie Hampton, 301-380-1217 stephanie.hampton@marriott.com

KEYWORD: ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ADVERTISING/MARKETING CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD TRAVEL SOURCE: Marriott International

Copyright Business Wire 2005