Best Western
International has rebranded as Best Western Hotels & Resorts, one of many
changes announced by the company on Tuesday. Also in the works are new logos, mobile
apps and websites and a new brand.
“With our
investments in this 69-year-old brand during the last 10 years, we need to make
consumers aware of the exciting improvements in our brand,” said president and CEO
David Kong. “We are embracing our future with a completely reimagined brand
identity that clarifies our exceptional offerings and broadens our appeal with
a contemporary, energetic and relevant look.”
A softer blue,
hand-drawn typeface logo that emphasizes the BW abbreviation will replace the
logo the company has used since 1993, which featured a navy background, yellow
serif typeface and red crown. Best Western is also doubling-down on its brand
segmentation strategy, adopted in 2010, by introducing distinct logos for Best
Western, Best Western Plus and Best Western Premier.
“These logos
illustrate the clear differentiation between our brands,” said senior vice
president of marketing and sales Dorothy Dowling. “They not only represent the
force Best Western is today but also help define the new voice of Best Western
for the future.”
To select the logos,
Best Western worked for two years with design and research firms and polled
guests, travel buyers, partners and Best Western hotel owners around the world,
according to the company.
Dowling said
functionality was a major factor the company had to consider in its logo-selection
process. “Unlike many brands, our logos must deliver business across various
mediums, including a roadside sign during the daytime and night, inside and
outside a hotel, on collateral and in the digital space,” she said.
Senior vice president of brand management Ron Pohl said all
properties worldwide will coordinate signage and logo implementation, planning
to complete “a critical mass” by summer 2016 and the rest before December 2017.
On the technology side, Best Western has introduced a new
mobile website and new Best Western to Go apps for iOS and Android. The mobile
products offer such features as a hotel-comparison view, improved search
function with filters, a map feature that highlights nearby attractions and
points of interest, Best Western Rewards integration and enhanced visual design
with more images and rich media.
“With our new mobile
website and apps, we have built simple, seamless online experiences designed to
increase bookings, create guest loyalty and set expectations for an exceptional
guest experience,” Dowling said. “We are reinventing our guests’ mobile
experience from top to bottom and providing a state-of-the-art platform to
connect with Best Western.”
The company also intends to launch an entirely new website
in spring 2016 to wrap up its three-phase digital platform redesign. Last
month, in the first phase, Best Western introduced new property websites for
more than 2,000 hotels in North America.
In January 2016, Best Western plans to approach major
corporations to offer a money-back guarantee, the company stated, which would
refund the cost of stay for any dissatisfied traveler and deposit reward points
into that traveler’s account to apologize for any inconvenience.
Also on the horizon is the boutique midscale, new-construction
brand Glo with streamlined, modern design. The company expects to have at least
one Glo property open by the end of 2016. Best Western offers seven brands,
including Glo, across 4,100 properties in more than 100 countries.