March 23, 2004
Elysian Development Group Expands Marketing Plan with
Torque to Market Luxury Hotel Venture—Initial Success Leads to Increasing Project Scope

Torque Ltd., a brand-launch and integrated marketing communications firm, announced its client, Elysian Development Group, is expanding its current marketing plan and projects with the firm. In response to strong initial sales, the Elysian Development Group (elysianhotels.com), developers of an ultra-luxury hotel and residence project in the Gold Coast area of Chicago, secured the right to purchase additional property and unveiled plans to increase the size of the development. Having reached sales goals for residences and suites well ahead of schedule, The Elysian Development Group is now scaling up the construction plans.

Torque was engaged by Elysian to name, position and market the project during the sales phase of suites and residences. Further initiatives will include building a brand through the promotion of the hotel and the service vision of David Pisor, its founder and president.

“Since before this project existed as a plan on paper, Torque has been attuned to my unique concept of providing a superlatively personal service experience to each and every guest. Their conceptual work in translating that idea and their development of communications have been sensitively accurate, as well as inventive and polished. That’s what this project is all about,” stated David Pisor, founder and president of The Elysian Development Group.

“Although a large group, our target customer is distributed, and good at gate-keeping. To reach them, Torque worked closely with us to build a brand and marketing program that really supports our sales process,” says Mark Fitzgerald, COO of IT Lighthouse.

Mr. Pisor’s concept for this new approach to hotel residences rests on several key principles, all aimed at creating an unparalleled customer service experience. Those principles include: offering highly personalized guest amenities, such as books by favorite authors provided in the room; mobile possession-storage chests for residents to store personal belongings between visits; old-world architectural design crafted by architect Lucien Lagrange with state-of-the-art luxury appointments; sophisticated information technology systems to support premium levels of customer service; and an on-site world-class restaurant. Most importantly, the richness of each of these areas will be enhanced by limiting the hotel suites to a far smaller number than most ultra-luxury hotels. The result will be highly individualized service from staff.

For Torque, determining the optimal positioning for this project in the bustling Chicago hotel market required special consideration of Mr. Pisor’s vision. The imperative: distinguish the Elysian from the onslaught of institutional-luxury offerings aimed at high net worth, aging boomer consumers. “We built on a theme that suggests an experience from another time, another place, something handcrafted,” says Kevin Masi, principal and marketing strategist at Torque. “We emphasized the European mystique that has inspired Mr. Pisor since early discussions of the project. The subsequent name, images, language, ads, print and electronic communications grew from this sensibility. This approach has spurred response to the campaign that resulted in bringing in purchasers ahead of schedule, in excess of target goals.”

Scheduled to open the hotel and residences in summer 2006, The Elysian Development Group is now looking forward to making an even more profound impact with the newly redesigned project, both in the exquisiteness of the hotel and residence stay experience, and the overall success of the project.

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