Bebo and Marriott want you to drop by for a meal more often

Search online for a good Italian meal in Mumbai’s Juhu and a few al dente names will flash across your screen. But few expect Kareena Kapoor to appear in a video, call you by name, and recommend Mezzo Mezzo at the JW Marriott in Juhu.

Celebrity sightings are unremarkable in this part of Mumbai. Yet for Bebo, as Kapoor is fondly known, to speak to you like a friend is a rare gesture, made possible by Marriott International. The global hospitality firm has enlisted the actress, and a dose of technology, to make dining at its hotel restaurants in Mumbai and Delhi feel like a habitual indulgence, rather than a rare treat. In India, where hotel dining is often considered aspirational, that shift in perception is no small feat.

Two campaign videos feature Kapoor narrating her favourite Marriott restaurants through the lens of family gatherings and outings with friends. “We will use Bollywood because it obviously has the widest sense of visibility and awareness a platform can give us,” says Khushnooma Kapadia, vice president of marketing, South Asia, at Marriott International.

Kapadia insists the campaign was never meant to be just another celebrity endorsement. Her team chose Kapoor for a quality she finds lacking in many of today’s stars—authenticity. “She comes across as someone who really enjoys her food,” says Kapadia, noting the actress’s unapologetic love of food, even as she maintains her fitness.

Despite the over-saturation of social media and brand tie-ups, a direct recommendation from a celebrity remains powerful. Few can resist a personalised nudge from a familiar face.

Marriott’s properties in India include JW Marriott, St. Regis, Le Méridien, The Westin, as well as more affordable brands like Courtyard, Fairfield, and Four Points. The firm also has a luxury franchise arrangement with ITC Hotels.

For this campaign, Marriott has partnered with SevenRooms, a restaurant technology and marketing firm, to deliver personalised video messages to members of Marriott Bonvoy, its global loyalty programme. If your birthday falls in a given week, and you are a member, you might receive a message along the lines of: “Hey Shreyas, wish you a very happy birthday from Bebo. Why don't you come to Lotus Cafe and enjoy a buffet with us.”

These videos appear across social media, Google advertisements, and even WhatsApp. “We're trying to maximise our visibility across as many channels as we can in Bombay and Delhi,” says Kapadia.

Targeting is critical. High-end properties like St. Regis and JW Marriott are aimed at a more affluent clientele. Brands like Fairfield and Courtyard appeal to travellers and young professionals.

What does the campaign aim to deliver? An increase in click-through rates, higher restaurant reservations, and ultimately, stronger revenue. But when asked whether restaurant income still plays second fiddle to room revenue, Kapadia disagrees. “Food and restaurant build the brand,” she says, while acknowledging that room sales remain crucial to the business.

What of social-media influencers, the other new pillars of persuasion? Kapadia is pragmatic. “I don't care if they reach one million, but I do care if they have reached the 10,000 who are going to come to my hotel or to my restaurant,” she explains. “They need to speak the correct language.”

Authenticity matters more than reach. Kapadia is wary of influencers who chase the highest bidder. “Today, you are walking into one of my competitors and it becomes excellent. Then you walk into my hotel, then I become excellent. There is no authenticity in that endorsement.”

Getting diners to choose a hotel restaurant over a standalone café remains a challenge. The latter tend to be more nimble and cost-effective. Yet with Kapoor’s star power and sense of self-assurance, Marriott is betting that her charm might just tip the balance.