Danelle Ayers Email & Phone Number

Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand

Moda is a ‘made to measure’ creative brand and marketing studio, dedicated to empowering hotel and hospitality businesses to build and grow their brands to stand out, win fans, captivate customers and drive commercial returns.

Wellington Region, New Zealand

In this role, I led the QT Hotels & Resorts brand across Australia and NZ. Key responsibilities included ownership of the Brand, Marketing and PR Strategy for the 10 hotels in my remit, and their respective signature restaurant and bar venues (18 in total).I successfully led the creative development of all our seasonal, key occasion, brand and PR led campaigns, and worked closely with key stakeholders to ensure campaigns were executed seamlessly (and on budget) across owned, earned, and paid media channels as well as at a property level.Additional project work included leading the pre-opening functions for new hotel, restaurant and bar openings; leading major partnership launches/activations; leading the development of all new brand development and VI rollouts. I also managed a team of 12 highly engaged individuals, delivering on a high performing culture with record breaking results.Achievements Included:Opening QT Newcastle.I led the brand, marketing and communications functions for the pre-opening of QT Newcastle. This involved overseeing the following aspects: Hotel, Restaurant and Rooftop Bar Visual Identity Development; Pre-Opening Launch Campaign and Activations; Partnerships; Uniform Curation, and Hotel Launch Event.Curious Currencies.In October 2022, we launched a major brand campaign with the key objective of driving earned media reach and talkability. I was the campaign lead, and managed all aspects of the campaign from end-to-end, including agency management, creative input, internal communications, operational roll-out, and owned channel strategy. I also oversaw the secondary phases of the campaign, the charity auction for the Lamps of Chaos and the production of the Curious Currencies book.qtQT at QT Gold Coast.qtQT is an urban rooftop oasis with unique cabin accommodation situated at QT Gold Coast. I led the brand development, visual identity development and roll-out, and the launch campaign activity.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

In this role I led the Brand, Marketing and Communications functions for QT Hotels & Resorts across Australia and NZ.My key responsibilities match those listed above in my role as Head of Brand & Marketing.Achievements Included:Dyson Partnership Launch.In 2021, I proposed a collaboration between QT and technology game-changer Dyson, presenting an end-to-end plan to implement this across the QT group. After 12 months of negotiations and planning, we launched ‘Engineered for Chaos’ – an iconic partnership between QT and Dyson that elevated the QT guest experience, made QT a market leader in in-room hair styling tools and achieved extraordinary earned-media coverage.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

As Special Projects Manager, I was responsible for the planning, development, management and implementation of specific special projects for EVENT Hospitality & Entertainment. These included (but weren't limited to) new hotel openings, hotel rebrands and restaurant rebrands. For each project I helped oversee the visual identity development, branding rollout on-property, uniform curation, and the marketing and communications launch plans.I was responsible for ensuring brand identity was adhered to and implemented every step of the way, and I assisted in developing and implementing ongoing brand strategies. I also managed a portfolio of key partnerships.This role required a high degree of independence, initiative and judgment.Achievements included:Opening QT Auckland:In 2020, I assisted with Project Managing the pre-opening of QT Auckland, which opened it's doors in November 2020 after numerous Covid setbacks. It was a challenging process - opening a hotel in a global pandemic! I'm most proud of the Visual Identity work we created with the help of Toben, for the hotel, Esther restaurant and the Rooftop Bar.Opening Atura Wellington:In February 2021, Atura Hotels & Resorts opened it first hotel in NZ in Wellington. I was project lead on this pre-opening - again, challenging times with Covid still disrupting the travel and hospitality industry. However, we had a successful opening campaign and the hotel continues to build on this.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

In this role, I was responsible for developing and implementing Brand and Marketing campaigns across the QT Hotels & Resorts and Rydges Hotels & Resorts brands within NZ.Also responsible for overseeing PR and Communications for these brands within New Zealand.In addition, I assisted the Director of People & Culture (for Event Hospitality and Entertainment) on People & Culture projects for the QT Australia/NZ brands.Achievements included:‘Your Art. Our Rooms’ - QT Wellington Art Initiative:I project managed this art initiative for QT Wellington from conception to completion. It involved a nationwide competition to find artists to adorn the walls with bespoke art for 25 new guest rooms. ‘Gallery 4’ was launched on 1 November 2018 to wide acclaim. QT Wellington is also a winner of the Excellence in Marketing award and finalist for Best Redeveloped Hotel at the Hospitality NZ Awards in 2019 off the back of this project.Rydges New Zealand ‘Director of Fun’ Campaign:This unique PR campaign saw Rydges partner with What Now and Fanimals to run a nationwide competition to find a ‘Director of Fun’ - under the age of 12! The winner then became an ambassador for Rydges NZ, promoting our child friendly hotels straight to the target source… kids!Brand Design:Working alongside Dave Clark Design, I project managed the rebrand of Reds Bar at QT Queenstown, and the conception of the brand identity for Whisky Lima Golf, at Rydges Wellington Airport.Opening of QT Queenstown:In 2017, I oversaw the Sales & Marketing functions for the pre-opening of QT Queenstown. This involved a six month lead-in time, project managing everything from website design and marketing collateral, to sales pipelines and distribution.

Rydges Wellington

This role was created for me after 3.5 years as Director of Sales & Marketing for Rydges Wellington. I saw the need for a unified Sales approach across the New Zealand hotels and knew that with the creation of this position we could add significant value and increase revenue through a streamlined, proactive and smarter approach. As National Director of Sales & Marketing, I was responsible for the short and long term strategic sales direction of the six hotels across New Zealand. Nationally I had 15 Sales Managers that reported indirectly through to me. I also continued to be fully responsible for the Sales and Marketing functions for Rydges Hotel, Wellington, and I had 8 Wellington based Sales and Marketing staff who reported to me directly. Achievements include:Virtual Rydges - Virtual Reality App:I was responsible for the conception, project management and execution of this ground breaking technology (at the time). The app was launched at MEETINGS 2016 tradeshow where Rydges New Zealand won Best Stand (out of over 350 exhibitors). The judges commented that the app and how we were using it as a sales tool was ‘game changing’. Winner Best Hotel Group: 2016 and 2017 Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Tourism Awards5 x Winner of the Hospitality New Zealand ‘Excellence in Marketing Award’ (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019):I was responsible for the creative concept and project management of these submissions. Rydges New Zealand Rebrand:In 2014 I instigated and managed the rebrand of the Rydges New Zealand brand identity. It was here that the concept of our ‘people’ being our biggest asset and what unites us was born. The majority of our marketing material features black and white photographs of faces of Rydges employees showcasing their personalities.

United Kingdom

Bachelor'S Degree, Science And Psychology

Post Graduate Diploma Of Teaching