Friday, August 22, 2008

Holiday Inn Relaunches Brand

One of the most recognizable hotel names, with more than 3000 properties worldwide, has some grand changes in the works.

Holiday Inn is relaunching their brand, shining a new logo, freshening up their guest rooms, redesigning their welcome experience and committing to a new service promise.

Highlights of the changes:

Redesigned Brand Signage – Holiday Inn is making dramatic changes to its signage (see photo), including energizing the signature green color and eliminating the current shield shape. The new brand signage will also be incorporated into design elements in each of the more than 3,100 hotel lobbies and more than 400,000 guest rooms worldwide.

Refreshed Guest Room – Guests will be able to enjoy a new bedding experience with fresh, white duvets and pillows that come in two comfort levels: soft and firm. Bathrooms will feature a showerhead that offers superior pressure while conserving water as well as enhanced amenities, to deliver an invigorating and up-to-date bath experience.

Warm Welcome – A new signature arrival, including new lighting, landscaping and design features will create an energised and a sense of welcome that is universally recognisable and unique to the brand. Guests can expect a more interactive and efficient check-in process, while customised music and scent selections will also engage them in a complete sensory experience.

New Service Promise – Holiday Inn is committing to provide the best-in-class service. 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.

The relaunch is currently rolling out to hotels around the world at the rate of 150 properties a month. Holiday Inn expects the new branding to be completed by 2010.

The original Holiday Inn was founded in 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee. Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express are part of the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG).