B&B’s Fight Fierce Doily Wars: Take No Prisoners

[Kaleel Sakakeeny]

The B&B industry is out to bust some myths, and are taking advantage of the election-year thinking to do it. With a totally tongue-in-cheek approach, it’s poking fun at the very symbol that has haunted them for years: the doily.

According to research conducted by the Professional Association of Innkeepers International(PAII) in conjunction with TripAdvisor, only about 12-percent of travelers on average choose to stay in B&Bs.
Anyone who has never tried a B&B tends to think that  B&Bs are the same – laced with doilies and teddy bears and and overseen by caretakers rivaling their furniture for antique status.

The doily is to the B&B industry as used bowling shoes are to the bowling alley business – functional, but they don’t do their image any favors.
Yet the B&B industry contends that every inn and B&B offers a unique experience and distinct décor, and the Doily campaign was conceived to prove it.

The B&B industry has pulled out the boxing gloves to push aside the negative doily stereotypes for B&Bs.  Doily Decision 2012 was born this summer to bust the myths of B&Bs while taking a humorous look at B&B stereotypes.

Weary of partisan Presidential political fighting, they created two new parties with the intention of highlighting the traditional vs. modern décor found at inns and B&Bs today while taking a break from Presidential politicking.

The totally flippant Pro Doily Party,  sponsored by Crochet for a New Day Super PAC,  supports a platform of Doily care programs for the preservation of senior doilies.
There is also a “doily-in-training” curriculum to support careers in doily management and crochet callings, and funding for genetic testing and stem cell research to support doily development.

Additionally,  a doily stimulus program offering tax incentives for doily displays at B&Bs is the mantra of the Pro Doily Party along with programs and fellowships for innkeepers supporting the civil rights of doilies.

The No-Doily Party supported by the Liberate Your Furniture Super PAC is dedicated to a more liberal platform of  eco-sensitive disposal of doilies and development of non-toxic doily dumps, recycling of doilies to provide building materials for third world countries, and support of programs for doily dementia and aging doily disposal.
They are responsible for the Occupy Etsy movement and support space travel for doilies to far planets in the solar system.

Now that travelers have started to vote for their doily party, the modern No-Doily party is well ahead of the more traditional Pro-Doily leaning, with two-thirds of voters opting for the No-Doily Party and one third on board with the Pro-Doily Party as of early July.

Both party ads can be found online, simply click here.

To vote in Doily Decision 2012 go here. Once voters have chosen a party, a list of B&Bs matching their Pro or No doily style will appear for easy vacation planning.



Marti Mayne, a marketing consultant for the B&B industry, contributes to the Better Way To Stay campaign as a coordinator and communications manager. She helped prepare this article hugely.

[José Balido]

Great post, Kaleel, and brilliant strategy! To avoid offending and possibly causing further unnecessary bloodshed, I personally will not reveal my vote on the doily controversy ;-)

[Marti Mayne]

We in the B&B industry work tirelessly to bash myths about doilies, teddy bears and shared baths.  Today's inns and B&Bs may have a few doilies here and there for those who love them, but more and more we're seeing a trend toward modern decor, tech-friendly rooms (96% of inns and B&Bs offer FREE wi-fi) and great food too.  TVs in the rooms?  Yup, most have them!  Doilies?  Well a few here and there for those who love the Victorian look.  Are you Pro Doily or No Doily?  Vote at http://www.betterwaytostay.com/doily-campaign/.  Want to see how inns and B&Bs stack up to hotels?  Check out these videos, and get ready to be entertained: http://www.betterwaytostay.com/videos/. Thanks for your comments!

[Ed Wetschler]

Here's the link to that B&B discussion, Kaleel:  http://www.tripatini.com/group/mediaonly/forum/topics/do-you-enjoy-...    Meant to include that first time around.   

[Kaleel Sakakeeny]

Thanks, Ed. The B and B industry, led often by marketing guru, Marti Mayne, has come up with inventive strategies that really improve image and biz. Will take a look at the conversation you referred to. Cheers!

[Ed Wetschler]

Good for them -- this is exactly what the biz needed to counter the fussy doily image -- and thanks for having brought it to our attention.  Coincidentally, some people have been discussing B&B's in Tripatini's Media Only group.