April 2011
68 posts
Play
Play
Copywriting 101 by Luxe City Guides.
Here’s a description of the Luxe City guides via their website. Oh, and PS they’re giving away a wicked prize to win two nights at the Mandarin Oriental, dinner at Sevva and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot. PLUS, VIP tickets to a schmancy art party at the Hong Kong International Art Fair.
Hello, gorgeous…
For eight years LUXE City Guides has quietly changed the face of travel guides, starting from scratch we re-thought the whole concept of why and how we all travel, of what we need when we get there and most importantly, what we don’t. LUXE is now famous for its super-svelte format, and its take no prisoners attitude, avoiding all the padding, photos, graphics and blah of other guides and getting straight to the meat. The result – ultra-smart travel companions stacked with priceless information for the discerning, value-conscious and busy traveller.
In the notoriously fickle worlds of fashion, food and entertainment other guides are hopelessly out of date even by the time they reach the bookstore shelf. LUXE City Guides are not only updated each year, but come with monthly online updates. So by the time you get to your destination, all you need do is relax, because if it’s not in LUXE, you’re not missing anything. Hyper-opinionated, irreverent, bright and fun to read, whether you have a few hours or a few days, LUXE really is all you need. Oh, and you’ll never hear us refer to our readers as tourists. With LUXE you’re a visitor. It’s a big difference.
LUXE City Guides. Fasten your seatbelt.
Raves from their faves:
“The world’s coolest guidebook publisher” - The Times, UK
“Compulsory in flight reading” - Vanity Fair
“LUXE City Guides have achieved near cult status” - The New York Times
“Sex and the City in a handbook. A mini marvel that fits in your handbag.” - The Times, UK
Voted #5 in the world’s Top 10 guidebooks - The Times, UK Mission
Three Links I Am More Curious About. Catchy Headlines.
The Webbys is a great resource to look at the blogs that are deemed the “best of the best.”
Here are some award winning blogs and their catchy headlines. I also like the site design of these brands. Lots of colour. Clean lay-out. Evenly spaced. As a reader, its easy for me to access and gather the information. Plus, these are topics I find interesting.
1. Five-Star Art: 10 Hotels with Museum-Worthy Artwork. (nycgo)
2. iPhone Tracks Your Every Move and There’s an App For That. (Wired)
3. Gogobot, New Travel Site, Gets Personal. (NYT Travel)
“TRAVEL FOR REAL.”
—This is the tag line on http://www.visitmorocco.com/ to sell its destination. FOR REAL. Was I going to travel there for…fake? Wow.
“Spice, Souks and Sand. Discover an Experience Beyond The Desert.”
—This is how I would describe Morocco. I haven’t been there, but I feel this description is more specific to the destination and peaks a tourist’s curiosity.
“A tapestry of colours and sensations.”
—AirTransat.ca ad copy to sell Morocco. My opinion: it’s too generalized and cliche.
Does This Lure You To Buy Travel?
An ad I read today in the local paper from Expedia.ca:
30% off European hotels sound like your cup of tea? or espresso, corto, or kaffeeklatsch, or cafe au lait?
… More savings translates into more dolce vita and more je ne sais quoi’s.
I like it because:
- it starts with a question. It’s conversational and inviting.
- Who doesn’t want a discount?! Starting with what’s “in it for me” is smart. (I know. I wish it was free too. Le Sigh).
-The play on words in different languages is cute.
I’m not sure about it because:
- it may be too wordy. (that was just part of the ad).
“Sometimes It’s Good to Be All Over The Map.”
—Air Canada slogan. Me Likey.
Play
Top Ten Travel Destinations List
1. Vancouver, BC. Crossing off more of the West Coast, plus I believe it’s the fourth most live-able city in the world. And TBEX is happening here, so what better way to meet some lovely travelers/bloggers/writers/PR folk than in my own country?
2. Scottsdale, AZ. Grand Canyon. I won a two night stay at a hotel, but I’ve heard great things. Plus, this gives me an opportunity to see my friends @Vagabond3Live (a Certifiable MUST Follow on Twitter).
3. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tango, steak, Dulce de Leche and many Italian immigrants. What more could a girl ask for?
4. Bolivia. Uyuni Salt Flats. Photo Opportunities of a lifetime.
5. Brazil. I have a friend in Sao Paolo and frankly, I’m not too crazy about doing Brazil alone. So I get to see it from a local perspective PLUS I have a mini bodyguard. Otherwise, it’s all about the beach. Florianopolis, anyone?
6. A drive from PEI to Cape Breton Island and thus, trying to cross more provinces off my list (I have been to three provinces and no territories; this is unacceptable for me). Plus, after seeing Peggy’s Cove outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia I know that the vistas here will be gorgeous (and the local people friendly). Seriously, those who live in the Maritimes are some of the nicest people I’ve encountered in my travels.
7. A trip to Banff and Lake Louise through to the Rockie Mountains (see above plus I’m trying to get in more of the West Coast).
8. Morocco. Souks, spice, and sand.
9. Cape Town, South Africa. My dear friend, Yael, is living here and it would be great to see this stunning city from a local perspective.
10. This is the mystery destination. There’s a few US cities I’d like to visit: Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; Atlanta,GA; Charlotte,NC; Portland, OR; San Diego, CA, and Seattle, WA. (I had a feeling this list was going to be more than ten destinations!) I was to see some cities for fun; I want to see some to see cities via some new friends I’ve made in the online community. Hello to: @sasoffer, @EpsteinTravels, @melanierenzulli, @TheMaidenVoyage, @joeybear85, @AndiPerullo, @Kirsten_al @Marilyn_Res @JanelleNanos @WheresAndrew @nerdseyeview @petercarey @italylogue @SEASunDodger
I also have a very good friend in Berlin, so that is worth a revisit and a chance to see Germany via a local (@JustTravelous); There’s Innsbruck, Austria for a travel conference (TBU11). There’s also another writing conference in San Francisco. Who knows?! And there’s also the undisclosed location for TBEX Europe. That is the beauty of travel. Sometimes, you never know where you’ll end up.
