Strategy reviews and rebranding

Lumière Associates recently undertook a rebranding project for a major luxury travel company, involving strategic planning advice, internal and external branding programmes.  This resulted in a completely new positioning for the company that was carried through all elements of the business.

Positioning defines how and where the hotel unit, hotel group or travel company will compete.  It identifies the company’s qualities, the benefits offered to the consumer and when these can best be used.

Repositioning can create a new point of differentiation – or unique selling point – of a company against its competition.  This can open up new market segments, both geographic and demographic.

To reposition a hotel or travel company, Lumière would start by asking the following questions:

•  What is the current perception of the company, and its rating with respect to its competition, by both customers and their intermediaries? This would involve some phone research and analysis.

• What is the internal vision within the company of its core values and strategic direction?  This would involve some workshops with senior management, owners and selected employees.

Positioning is usually a long term strategy which can be fine tuned or refreshed every few years.    Although advertising can help with creating an image in the customer mind of a particular company’s position, it is essential that the customer’s beliefs, feelings and experiences all match the advertising, or else it will fail.

Customers tend to respond to a benefit or expectation that can be gained by using the company’s services, rather than just the image.  It is important to identify the types of customers to whom that benefit will appeal, and also distinguish the company from its competition.

Strategic Division