Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts has launched a £1m brand building advertising campaign, scheduled to run in trade and consumer titles in key feeder markets in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific for three months.

The campaign, executed by TBWALondon, aims to increase Le Meridien's brand awareness and re-enforce the company's on-going expansion plans. "There's no better demonstration of a hotel brand's health, than ambitious growth," said vice president of marketing, John Griffin.

"To connect with our core target audience the campaign dramatises Le Meridien's global scale, while emphasising the individuality of the properties and the new hotels opening around the world including Turin, Palm Springs, Vienna, Hamburg, Agadir and Hong Kong."

The campaign launches with an impressive eight-page gatefold in trade and consumer titles. A plain white DPS (double page spread) carries the simple invitation ‘Open', which when opened reveals a dramatic four-page full colour spread featuring Le Meridien's 135 hotels worldwide with the message – ‘With more than 135 premium hotels and stunning resorts in 56 countries around the world and another five exciting projects nearing completion we're open more than ever'.

The gatefold will be followed by a series of full-page executions highlighting one of the new hotels according to their relevance to the market and the strength they add to the overall property portfolio.

This series of full-page ads will run in high-reach media titles such as Newsweek, South China Morning Post, AWSJ, Good Weekend, The Sydney Magazine, TTG Asia and Travel Journal Weekly.

"The campaign is a statement of strength and ambition. It's an exciting time for the brand, with some fantastic new hotels and resorts opening, adding to an already top class offering. We've never been more open, so what better excuse to be in the marketplace taking the spotlight?" said Richard Powell, account director, TBWALONDON.

The campaign was written by Joff Taylor and art directed by Adam Poller. OMD Hong Kong has been responsible for Asia Pacific media placement.