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When Skift spoke to Marriott Global Brand Officer Tina Edmundson in September, a little over two weeks after Marriott finally closed its USD 13.3-billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, she gave us a bit of insight into how Marriott would position all those 30 brands.
Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, Marriott began putting that strategy into place. Today, if you go to its site, all 30 of Marriott’s brands are now distinguished by whether they are “classic” or “distinctive,” as well as by category. This applies to all brands, whether luxury or premium, select or for longer stays.
For example, in the luxury category, The Ritz-Carlton, The St. Regis, and JW Marriott brands are defined as “classic luxury” while The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, The Luxury Collection, Bvlgari, W Hotels, and EDITION are categorized as “distinctive luxury.”
Occupying the premium category are classic brands such as Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Marriott Vacation Club, and Delta Hotels, and more distinctive brands such as Le Meridien, Westin, Autograph Collection, Design Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Tribute Portfolio, and Gaylord Hotels.
Not suprisingly, all but three of Starwood’s 11 brands ended up in the “distinctive” category. Starwood was known in the industry for it innovation in lifestyle branding.
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