Moments That Matter Ep. 20 — Story First, Friction Last: A Conversation with Thibault Selderslagh of ForDigitalSakes.com
In Episode 20 of Moments That Matter, Hovr CEO and Founder Jason Craparo sat down with Thibault Selderslagh, co-founder of For Digital Sakes, to unpack how luxury hospitality brands are using video-led storytelling to shape the entire guest journey—from first spark to confident booking. What follows is a blog recap drawn only from the episode transcript.
From Photographer to Full-Funnel Storyteller
Thibault’s path into hospitality didn’t start in a hotel marketing office. It started behind a lens.
“I used to be a photographer… lived in Bali… that turned into video… freelance work started to be more serious, building an agency with my co-founder, Harley Phillips.”
That creator’s eye now underpins an agency model built for full-funnel impact: brand identity, positioning, content strategy, and production—each piece intentional and tied to where a traveler is in their decision-making.
“We run a marketing agency specialized in hospitality, focusing on the full funnel and user journey… all based on having strategy and intent on every piece that we create for the hotels.”
What “Digitally Mature” Hotels Do Differently
Not every property is ready to go all-in on video. Thibault sees a clear pattern:
“We’re not gonna try to convince… it needs to be a digitally mature kind of client… People who are already investing heavily in video production and strategy always want to expand with more creativity, more tools.”
Digitally mature teams:
- Already invest in video and social.
- Understand that content must match funnel stage.
- Prioritize consistency across brand, web, and paid.
Those clients aren’t asking if video matters. They’re asking where it belongs, how it renders, and which narratives move guests to book.
The Funnel Fit: Brand Films vs. Room Tours
“Video” isn’t one thing—and it shouldn’t be treated as such.
Top of funnel: brand films that convey feeling, place, and identity.
Lower funnel: video room tours that set expectations and close gaps in confidence.
“If you’re at awareness, a brand video is great… but when it comes to conversion, you need to show exactly what you’re gonna get in the room… no fluff.”
This distinction matters because guests bounce between platforms—OTAs, Instagram, YouTube—hunting for clarity. The hotel that keeps them on-site with the right video at the right moment wins the direct booking.
Why Passive Beats “Pawing Around”
Both Jason and Thibault drew a line between passive, story-led viewing and more active, self-guided media like 360/virtual tours.
Thibault: “Not everybody wants to scroll around… attention span is so short, so people just bounce.”
Jason: “Room tours are work… Matterport has a place, but it often feels sterile. Video leads me and tells me a story I want to see myself in.”
Short, scannable clips—especially at the room-type level—let travelers sample multiple options without effort. That lowers friction and accelerates decisions.
The “Slow Site” Fear (and Why It’s Solvable)
Concern about site performance is real.
Jason: “The number one question we get is: is this going to slow down my website?”
The takeaway from the conversation: with the right delivery approach, high-quality video can be added in ways that don’t bog down performance—so teams don’t have to choose between speed and story. (In the episode, Jason notes their approach is to host separately and deliver ultra-low latency.)
Luxury Lean: Why Ultra-High-End Brands Lead
For Digital Sakes has carved out a niche with brands such as Belmond, Bulgari, Rosewood, and organizations like The World’s 50 Best. According to Thibault, luxury brands are predisposed to lead in video:
“They invest in content much heavier… and they can afford it. One suite can literally pay off everything, so they see a direct impact.”
Even within global portfolios, the luxury flags typically have larger budgets and an ingrained understanding of how content translates to revenue.
Production the Right Way: Intent, Rigor, Delivery
Thibault’s team handles the heavy lifting end-to-end:
- Pre-production: moodboards, storyboards, schedules
- Logistics: models, talent, on-site coordination
- Production: from single-day shoots to multi-week campaigns
- Post-production: delivering a library of assets mapped to funnel needs
“We can craft everything based on what’s been agreed before… and assure the best result—tone and consistency.”
A telling anecdote from the field: a sales team once tried to film a flagship suite on a phone for a celebrity’s agent—while Thibault’s crew was producing a brand film down the hall. The lesson? High-value decisions deserve high-quality assets—ready to send before the request arrives.
Rethinking the Web: From “Hunting” to “Brought to You”
Jason described Hovr’s broader philosophy: the web today forces users to work—scrolling, navigating, and guessing where answers live. The future is content delivery that anticipates intent, making the experience more passive and more human.
“We make people scroll and hunt… each visitor comes with unique questions. When you make them hunt, it can be frustrating. We want a world where things are just brought to you.”
This mindset inspired UX ideas like transforming key phrases on a page—e.g., “180-degree panoramic views”—into instant video reveals. The goal is simple: reduce friction, increase confidence.
Entrepreneurial Notes: Bet on Skills, Consistency, and the Right Clients
Thibault’s entrepreneurial arc moved from travel collaborations (trading stays for photos/videos) to a paid portfolio, to a focused luxury practice. Along the way:
- He learned he was built for entrepreneurship, not corporate timetables.
- He believes in real, compounding skills and daily reps.
“I would have told myself to not go to university and to learn real skills that are useful… be consistent… posting on social media… 1% better every day.”
That discipline pairs with a pragmatic truth: you can educate a bit, but only so far. The work is best—and results fastest—when the client already shares the vision.
Favorite Stay: Gleneagles, Scotland
Pressed for a standout property, Thibault pointed to Gleneagles:
“Old money… tradition… another level of hospitality. You feel like you time-traveled.”
It’s a fitting example for someone obsessed with perception, service, and detail—the same ingredients that turn a video into a memory and a view into a booking.
Final Word
Episode 20 is a masterclass in aligning story with stage. The core ideas are refreshingly practical:
- Match video to the funnel (brand film up top, room tours to close).
- Remove the work—favor passive, guided viewing over forced exploration.
- Solve performance up front so speed never competes with storytelling.
- Work with digitally mature partners who already value content—and want more.
As Thibault puts it, the formula is simple but demanding: build the brand and strategy first, then produce intent-driven content that respects how people actually consume media today.
“With valuable skills—and showing up every day—you can’t fail.”
Connect with Thibault: LinkedIn or the contact form at ForDigitalSakes.com.
Listen to the episode: Moments That Matter, Episode 20 with Jason Craparo and Thibault Selderslagh.
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