How important is brand to your company?
I believe that the strength of our company comes from the diversity and combination of our brands as they help guests/consumers make choices. Brand differentiation and brand experience are key focuses for our company. With a new lens on luxury and courtside seats to the fast-evolving expectations and aspirations of the global traveler, we are obsessed with creating strong brands that will elevate travel with highly contextualized, nuanced brand experiences that signal the future of luxury. We are so privileged at Marriott International in Europe to be able to offer luxury hotels under eight hallmarks that cater to a new affluent traveler, no matter if their priority is staying at the best address in town, immersing themselves in the destination, or focusing on wellbeing. Every experience and innovation that we introduce in our hotels is brand driven.
How does the brand help you to run your business and make decisions?
We see luxury travel experiences as a launch pad for self-actualization, with bucket lists evolving from where you want to go and what you want to see to who you can be. Our guests are seeking out experiences that help them express who they are, so their approach to luxury continues to be less formal, entirely more personal, and defined more by their interests and mindset than their geography and demographics. And they want more than just to trust a hotel brand. They want to align with a company's brand pillars, more consciously than before, that advocates for their priorities. This is why we are focused on making sure that we set each brand apart by highlighting nuanced differences and leaning into specific brand touch points and product cues. This impacts our business decisions, the partnerships that we establish in our hotels, but also the audiences that we target.
In your opinion, what are the errors of brand management that should be avoided?
Brand management is one of my passion points and I have been following many luxury brands’ strategies and have seen their ups and downs. The most important factor is to ensure that the brand is distinctive enough to stand out from the competitors. It all starts with determining the right value proposition. The process requires careful definition of the strongest selling point and the target audience. Misunderstanding leads to a misrepresented brand, which negatively affects the image, the customer experience, and ultimately the bottom line.
Another mistake would be inconsistency, which has always been a branding misstep. Especially now, in the era of content marketing and digital branding, being consistent with messaging and on-brand experiences is key to success. The most successful brands consistently deliver on their promise. They paint a picture in the minds of consumers of what they can expect from a product, service, and quality standpoint.
What advice would you give to other companies regarding brand management?
In an increasingly globalized and connected world, modern consumers, especially in the luxury travel space, are looking for authenticity, customization, and on-brand service. This coincides with a collective, increased dependency on technology, the "millennial state of mind," and the behavioral characteristics of uneasiness, urgency, and uniqueness that are increasingly permeating across all generations. Brands should be working on providing services on demand and connectivity to cater to the notion that anything is available anytime, anywhere.
Which company do you admire for its brand management?
For many years, I have admired Hermes for its passion for cultivating heritage, uniqueness, and consistency. To me, this brand is an icon in the world of luxury. It all starts with the quality of the product, its craftsmanship, and eye for detail, and continues through the professional service at each of their boutiques and storytelling. The brand knows no compromises, is consistent, and loyal to its philosophy, which makes it unique.
