Whitbread turns occasional experiences into lasting impressions

Describes Whitbread’s three-year Winning Brands programme covering its various service sector brands (Premier Travel Inn, TGI Friday’s, Beefeater, Costa Coffee and Marriott (no longer part of Whitbread)).

Whitbread Turns Occasional Experiences into Lasting Impressions

Paula VennellsWhitbreadJonathan TurnerOxford Strategic Marketing

Service-sector branding is a delicate art, akin to theatrical scriptwriting. Overscript, and you risk dehumanisation and audience alienation. Underscript and you risk anarchy and irrelevance.

At Whitbread, the 'Winning Brands' programme successfully addressed this scripting challenge over a sustained three-year period, and continues today. By adopting a 'tight-loose' marketing approach, we are building an organisation that is capable not just of consistent brand differentiation, but also of delivering highly personalised experiences – keeping brands as diverse as Premier Travel Inn, TGI Friday's, Beefeater, Costa Coffee...

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