In-house marketing agency, Second Wave, recognized for specialized expertise and innovation that drives hotel performance

SVP Eric Ettlin named one of Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization

Aimbridge Hospitality, the world’s leading global hospitality management company, is pleased to announce that its in-house marketing agency, Second Wave, recently received prominent recognition by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (“HSMAI”) for its marketing excellence. Second Wave earned two "Best of Category" awards, three Silver Adrian awards, and one Bronze Adrian award at the 2025 Annual Adrian Awards, the premier global travel marketing awards competition celebrating the creativity, impact, and innovation that define the hospitality industry.

Moreover, Eric Ettlin, Senior Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Digital at Second Wave, was named one of HSMAI's Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization. Ettlin was chosen by a panel of industry leaders comprised of both HSMAI’s Board of Directors and organizational members for his many contributions over the past 18 months, including exceptional creativity and strategic excellence. His innovative mindset and forward‑looking mentality were critical in his selection – characteristics that help Second Wave and Aimbridge consistently drive results for properties and brands.

“Second Wave’s success in this year’s awards underscores our success in delivering an unmatched value proposition in the marketplace for hotel owners,” said Allison Handy, Chief Commercial Officer at Aimbridge Hospitality. “When a talented team of marketers and an innovative leader sit alongside industry-leading revenue management, sales and operations specialists, we can respond to market opportunities in real-time and create campaigns that drive measurable results.”

Unlike traditional external marketing agencies, Second Wave operates as a fully integrated element of Aimbridge Commercial – a true industry differentiator for Aimbridge and their hotel owners. Second Wave team members work in lockstep with property teams to build brands, execute digital campaigns and adapt strategies based on real-time intelligence and revenue trends. This integrated approach enables Aimbridge to unleash the full value of its platform and proprietary AI technology to help hotel owners mitigate inefficiencies in their operations. As a result, owners can expect stronger performance and greater customer satisfaction across their portfolios.

“These awards represent the work that’s actually moving the needle for our properties and helping them capture more demand and drive profitable revenue,” said Ettlin. “The team has done an incredible job bringing together marketing innovation with real operational insight, and when we pair that with the data we have across the entire Aimbridge portfolio, we can do some pretty powerful things.”

Second Wave was recognized with the following awards for its work repositioning legacy properties through emotionally-driven storytelling, integrated multi-channel campaigns and immersive experiential activations – as well as its proprietary Paid Media Budget Planner Tool that brings data-driven precision to campaign strategy:

• Best of Category Award – Dua Miami
• Silver Adrian Award – Dua Miami
• Bronze Adrian Award – Queen Mary
• Best of Category Award – The Paid Media Budget Planner Tool
• Silver Adrian Award – The Paid Media Budget Planner Tool

For more than 69 years, the HSMAI Adrian Awards have recognized excellence across today's most competitive travel and hospitality marketing platforms, celebrating agencies and individuals whose work shapes the industry. This marks Second Wave's third consecutive year of recognition by HSMAI.

About Aimbridge Hospitality

Aimbridge Hospitality is the world’s leading global hospitality management company. A trusted operator of over 80 globally recognized lodging brands and distinctive luxury and lifestyle assets, Aimbridge delivers compelling results for hotel owners by leveraging proprietary data and insights as an authority in key markets and destinations, while creating exceptional guest experiences. The Company continually strives to set the new standard in hospitality excellence, leading the industry into the future through a wealth of unmatched resources and best-in-class supplier agreements, while recruiting and developing top industry talent in all key verticals and geographies. To learn more, visit www.aimbridgehospitality.com and connect with Aimbridge on LinkedIn.

About Second Wave

Second Wave is the boutique, in-house marketing agency of Aimbridge Hospitality — the world’s leading global hotel management company. Conceived as the “next wave” in hospitality marketing, Second Wave combines creative excellence with deep commercial strategy. Our integrated, hospitality-first model eliminates silos: we collaborate daily with revenue management, sales, operations, and ownership teams to ensure every campaign, asset, and initiative directly supports profitable revenue growth and elevated guest experiences.

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