Holiday Inn Case study
Established in 1952 in the US, Holiday Inn is one of the world’s most recognised hotel brands with over 400,000 rooms (3,125 hotels) open globally and a development pipeline of more than 110,000 rooms (942 hotels) around the world. Mission is GreatHotelsGuest Love
There is something undeniably comforting about Holiday Inns. They are, by far, not the best hotels but, for the most part, you can count on good service, a clean bed, cable TV, air conditioning and — despite an attempted break-in into a room housing with your mom, grandmother and aunt many decades ago in a San Antonio Holiday Inn that, later, made the news — a sense of security and familiarity that welcomes you as you are introduced to a new place, far from home.
Holiday Inn is, for better or worse, the expectation (of price, service, and amenities) that Americans measure every hotel against. And in their increasing affection for identity design created anytime before 1999, it is painfully nostalgic for Americans to see Holiday Inn’s fabulously odd script logo — just how awesome are those reverse italics? — check out.
Holiday Inn corporation made a drastic change of brand in late 2008 (brand was relaunched until 2010). Designed by Interbrand, the new logo is more energetic, festive, modern, swooshy, happy, vibrant, friendly, grabable, and many more adjectives that are triggered by the over designed icon — it simply has too much styling to it.
This identity redesign is well justified by Holiday Inn’s bottom-up rethinking of their services, so a big signal of change was necessary — although, travelers may take notice when they step into the lobby and smell the change, “We’re creating a Holiday Inn scent. The changes we are making will ensure the Holiday Inn brand goes forward into the future with a strong and confident new image” said Andy Cosslett, IHG’s (owner of Holiday Inn) CEO. The relaunch will incorporate a new service promise, a redesigned welcome experience as well as refreshed guestrooms with signature bedding and bathroom products. “It’s going to be very subliminal. You’re not going to walk in and find it hits you between the eyes. It’ll be very gently.” They will face an estimated bill of $1 billion, implementing the new look by the end of 2010 (change started in 2007).
The brand relaunchprogramme incorporates insights from an IHG-commissioned consumer research, which gathered input from 18,000 travellers globally.
Elements of the relaunchprogramme include:
Redesigned Brand Signage – Holiday Inn is making changes to its signage, evolving the iconic script logo, energising the signature colour green and eliminating the current shield shape. The brand will replace more than 11,000 signs around the world, it will also be incorporated into design elements.
Refreshed Guest Room – fresh, white duvets and pillows that come in two levels: soft and firm. Bathrooms will feature a new showerheads.
Warm Welcome – A new signature arrival, including new lighting, landscaping and design features will create a sense of welcome that is universally recognisable and unique to the brand. Holiday Inn will provide more interactive and efficient check-in process.
New Service Promise – As part of the relaunch, the brand will initiate a new service culture – “Stay Real”. The service culture will enhance staff behaviour and skills to best serve guests, treating them as real people and consistently delivering the real, genuine service for which Holiday Inn is known.
Missoni hotel: 5 things
Logo, slogan, graphic materials – what how – describe why do you choose concrete things, colors etc.
Behaviour of employees – corporate culture, effectiveness of employees, services
Communication – corporate personality, relationships with stakeholders, social responsibility
Key points – judge, evaluate (for jury):
Message
Emotions
Reality
Corporate personality
Behaviour
Values, mission, vision
Communication, associations