Le Méridien has decided to reinforce its commitment to coffee culture with the launch of a year-long Inspiration Brewed Here campaign and the appointment of Esther Maasdam as its first ever global latte artist for the brand.
Esther was named Dutch Latte Art Champion four years in a row (2011 – 2014), and will create 12 works of destination-inspired latte art from around the world using Le Méridien hotels as her inspiration. She will travel to locales such as New Orleans, Hong Kong and London, and work with Le Méridien Master Baristas globally to develop local recipes and designs to help guests unlock the destination through coffee.
The campaign
Le Méridien kicked off the new campaign on 11 November at Le Méridien Vienna, coinciding with the hotel’s 11th anniversary. Vienna is regarded as the epicentre of coffee culture.
Destination-inspired latte art is the first phase of the Inspiration Brewed Here campaign. Le Méridien will continue to announce new coffee programming throughout 2015 at hotels worldwide.
Art and coffee
Inspiration Brewed Here combines two key passion points for Le Méridien – art and coffee.
The signature Le Méridien Hub has transformed the brand’s hotel lobbies into gathering places for creative and curious minds to meet and converse in a coffeehouse-like atmosphere. The Le Méridien Hub will be implemented in all Le Méridien hotels by end of next year.
Last year, Le Méridien brand created a Master Barista role in the Hubs of each of its hotels globally.
Master Baristas boast a technical skillset beyond making basic coffee drinks and undergo intensive training designed by Le Méridien and its global coffee partner illy.
Growing coffee consumption
Since launching its partnership with illy, coffee consumption by Le Méridien guests has grown by more than 15% each year with guests now consuming 7.6 million cups of coffee against 3.8 million cups in 2007.
Coffee surpasses sex!
According to a global survey commissioned by Le Méridien, coffee surpasses sex as the ideal wake-up call according to more than half (53%) of travellers.
The survey also found that an overwhelming 78% of people would rather give up alcohol, social media or sex with their partner for a year rather than forfeit coffee, and more than half (53%) of respondents said that if they were going to post a beverage on their social media accounts while travelling, it would be coffee.
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