Raffles Hotels' legendary butler brings luxury and glamour directly to guests in new campaign

Luxury hospitality brand Raffles Hotels and Resorts has unveiled a new global campaign celebrating the brand's legendary Butler Service and its role in crafting an inspiring and unexpected guest experience. 

The campaign, titled "The Butler Did It", features a brand film starring actor Waris Ahluwalia, fashion icon Robert Rabensteiner, and model May Siu as quintessential Raffles guests while renowned model Tim Easton stars as the Butler.  

Under the creative direction of Trey Laird, and shot by photographer Dylan Don, the film is set against the backdrop of Raffles Singapore and the brand's flagship property known for its Butler Service since its opening in 1887.

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The film showcases some services available including arranging a private tour of the Palm Garden Fountain, meeting requests for in-room dining, reserving a poolside private cabana and even procuring tickets to a show - all before a guest can ask for it. The new campaign comes as the brand grows globally, with recent debuts in Jaipur, London, Boston and Bahrain. It aims to invite guests to enter Raffles' world of elegance and enchanted glamour.

In tandem, through "The Butler Did It", the brand is focusing on one of the most significant parts of its guest experience. 

"With a vibrant aesthetic and sense of wit that is inherent to the Raffles brand, this bold campaign celebrates the hallmarks of the Raffles experience, including the ways our Butlers create magic at every turn. Through the lens of fashion and art, this talented team of creatives have captured the unexpected and inspiring interactions our guests enjoy while staying with us," said Omer Acar, CEO, Raffles Hotels and Resorts. 

"While 'The Butler Did It' is often the answer to 'whodunits' throughout history, our campaign depicts the Butler as the hero of any occasion, no matter how unconventional. We hope our guests will now join us in saying 'The Butler Did It' when experiencing a surprising moment of delight with Raffles," added Acar. 

"Raffles is a heritage brand, but it delivers a modern guest experience that is full of warmth, with a playfulness and sense of whimsy. This was the spirit I wanted to evoke through 'The Butler Did It,' allowing guests to imagine how a stay at Raffles might exceed their wildest dreams," said Trey Laird, founder of TeamLaird. 

"I'm grateful to the incredible creative talent that, through a shared passion for exceptional hospitality and culture in all its forms, brought this campaign to life in a way that is unique and distinct to Raffles," added Laird. 

Elegance, glamour and luxury are often highlighted in Raffles Hotel and Resorts' campaigns. In 2021, the hotel reinterpreted the golden age of travel by casting real-life royals in its campaign. 

The new spot features HIRH Catharina von Habsburg, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia with her mother HIRH Archduchess Anna Gabriele von Habsburg, born von Wrede; HRH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh, King of Jaipur; George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford; HRH Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark; and HH Prince Nikolai of Denmark.

In the film, they royals embark on a series of marvellous and whimsical adventures. As the day progresses, scenes build to a crescendo through a riot of colours, textures and movement, culminating with the joy of an opulent banquet.

Throughout the scenes, simple pleasures become elevated, and the journey inspires a sense of wonder and amazement, reflecting the true essence of the brand and the feeling of Raffles’ guests when in residence.

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