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decor focused on boating . “ Even within a hotel with a pretty strict set of expectations , it was infused with a sense of story because of the local context , which drove business there ,” she said .
Hotel brands today often are looking beyond standards now , added Ferebee . “ Ritz-Carlton has a magnificent framework for how their brand is expressed , but they no longer stamp that as a homogenized thing they want everywhere ,” he said . “ They say , ‘ Please help us put our ears to the ground in Dallas and express what this place wants to be .’”
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FerebeeLane helped restore Canoe Place in the Hamptons , known as America ’ s oldest inn . |
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TURNING AGENCIES AWAY In some instances , branding agencies create a jumping-off point for hotels and properties can then run with the brand concept developed , enabling in-house personnel to take over from an agency , Oetzel said . “ Many times , it goes back in-house and then the internal team is able to take that brand
The Bottle Room at Canoe Place hosts dinner parties to birthday parties .
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that ’ s been built and use it as an engine to drive very effective marketing and programming activations .”
Sometimes , the branding experts admitted , hotels just aren ’ t willing to bring in outside help .
“ If it feels like there ’ s a huge gulf in understanding between what a hotelier wants to pay for and what they think that they ’ re
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getting compared to what we offer then you say , ‘ We can only offer our best advice and at a certain point you just don ’ t work together ,’” Oetzel said .
Added Ferebee , “ There are those who don ’ t connect the dots between what we do and the higher ADR . Even at the luxury level there are folks who say , ‘ We don ’ t need a story , we ’ ve got expensive sheets and very nice bathrooms , thank you .’ And that ’ s fine ; best of luck to them .”
But that position is to the detriment of hoteliers , Ferebee said . “ Hotel owners and executives who focus on a more narrative guest experience and align everything to a guiding brand story ultimately are investing in satisfaction , loyalty and rate . The story of a place — and the way the property team expresses that — is a powerful draw . Guests pay a premium to experience it .”
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WE ’ RE IN AN ERA WHEN CUSTOMERS CARE ABOUT A SENSE OF PLACE AND A STORY ; THAT DRIVES ROOM RATES
– DONNA OETZEL , EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR , BRAND ,
STREETSENSE
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Mar / Apr 2024 hotelsmag . com 37 |