It’s in Our Nature

Read the campaign story

Shangri-La introduced It’s in Our Nature in June 2010. Created with Ogilvy & Mather and director Bruno Aveillan, the campaign expressed a welcoming service philosophy rather than concentrating on hotel buildings. The launch release describes a long-form film and shorter versions for several viewing contexts. This case examines that shift from physical luxury to a behavioural promise, without claiming that the advertisement verified service quality at every property.

Editorial interpretation: hospitality is experienced through actions, so a brand can choose to dramatise a way of treating people instead of displaying amenities. A story outside a conventional product catalogue may create space for viewers to interpret that value. The challenge is to retain a recognisable connection to the hotel and to make the emotional promise compatible with staff boundaries, guest diversity and the practical realities of service.

The source is a promotional launch account, not an independent audit of guest experience or commercial performance. No effect on bookings, loyalty or staff behaviour is inferred. The analysis does not reproduce the film or its imagery. It also rejects the idea that a welcoming philosophy requires unlimited personal availability: respectful service includes consent, safety and clear limits for both guests and employees.

Translate an abstract value into an observable action

Warmth and care are broad qualities that many service brands claim. Choose a small action that makes the intended meaning visible, then ask what viewers infer from it. The action should be relevant to the service without becoming a literal guarantee that every situation will unfold the same way. A modest interaction can be more informative than an expensive scenic sequence if it shows the decision clearly. For a small hospitality business, focus on an achievable behaviour such as explaining an unfamiliar process patiently. The creative should help people understand the service philosophy while leaving room for different needs and circumstances.

Keep the brand connected to the emotional story

A moving film can be remembered independently of its advertiser. Decide which detail connects the value to the organisation and whether that detail appears early enough to be understood. Do not rely on a final logo to resolve an otherwise unrelated narrative. At the same time, avoid forcing a booking message into every emotional moment. Test both story comprehension and brand attribution, because admiration for the film does not necessarily indicate understanding of the offer. A useful campaign creates a bridge from the feeling to a practical service expectation, then offers a separate route to property details, availability and conditions.

Define care in a way staff can deliver safely

A brand promise about treating strangers warmly should not ask employees to ignore boundaries or accept unreasonable demands. Involve service teams when interpreting the promise and distinguish kindness from unrestricted access, personal disclosure or unpaid extra work. Consider how the message applies when a request cannot be fulfilled. A respectful refusal may be consistent with the brand if it is clear and helpful. This operational interpretation matters because advertising can shape expectations before a guest arrives. The organisation should prepare for the expectations it creates rather than leaving frontline staff to resolve the gap between an idealised story and a real constraint.

A bounded test for another brief

Proposed adaptation: a small guesthouse could create two fictional illustrated welcome sequences using the same service facts. One lists amenities; the other shows a staff member clearly explaining an unfamiliar check-in step while respecting the guest’s choices. Ask adults what service they expect, which property they associate with the story and what limitations remain. Keep the prototype offline, use no real guest information and avoid promising exceptional treatment. Include a scenario where a request is politely declined. This tests whether a behavioural story communicates hospitality more clearly than a feature list without exposing workers or guests to an unrealistic live service experiment.

Measure accurate service expectations, brand attribution and understanding of the refusal scenario. Separate emotional appreciation from booking intent and from evidence that the property consistently delivers the portrayed behaviour.

Stop if the story implies unlimited service, pressures staff to cross personal boundaries or makes a fictional interaction look like verified guest testimony.