• by Tanya Gazdik , April 30, 2018

Courtyard is rebranding its hundreds of properties with the aim of elevating its identity. 

While Courtyard was the first hotel built for business travelers, the brand acknowledges that business has changed. Courtyard’s new campaign and rebrand of its 1,000+ properties (the largest brand within the Marriott International portfolio) aims to attract the ambitious and enterprising guest who sees business and business travel as drivers of personal fulfillment and professional growth.

“For the first time as a brand, we are shifting away from not only showcasing what we offer from a product standpoint but rather conveying what we believe as a brand, which is more in line with what our guests are looking for today,” says Paige Francis, VP of global marketing for Marriott International’s Classic Select brands. 

The new brand platform is “truly an articulation of our shared belief system with our guests” which is that “Passions Moves Us Forward,” Francis tells Marketing Daily. “We are passionate about providing the best hotel experience that enables our guests to pursue their passions as they work, live and travel.”

The campaign, from the Chicago office of Mcgarrybowen, follows a young professional around the world who is living and pursuing her passion in this new world of business. The spot is narrated by her father to show the juxtaposition between the two generations.

The effort is the most international the brand has produced, shooting in four key markets around the world — Chile, Thailand, Singapore and the United States

“This spot brings the rapidly expanding global nature of the brand to life, showcasing Courtyard as Marriott’s International’s largest brand by distribution and the company’s second-largest pipeline with nearly 280 signed hotels and nearly 50% of those hotels expected to open outside of North America,” Francis says.

This campaign includes both a core brand campaign and also Courtyard’s NFL campaign. 

“For the first time, our NFL campaign is also taking the same look, feel and tagline of the brand platform,” Francis says.

The NFL spot, “The Game,” featuring Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman, will air this week on ESPN during the NFL Draft as Courtyard, “The Official Hotel of the NFL,” is the presenting sponsor of the NFL Draft on ESPN. 

Other components of the campaign, including print, digital, radio and out-of-home advertising will be rolled out later this year. Key competitors include Hilton Garden Inn and Hyatt Place.

“We have always been passionate about delivering the most relevant hotel experience for our guests,” Francis says. “And in sharing their passion for never settling and always moving forward, we continue to innovate to meet the fundamental generational shifts in how people today work, live and travel.”

As the first hotel built specifically for business travelers, the brand has always been passionate about delivering the most relevant hotel experience for guests, she says. 

“In sharing our guests’ passion for never settling and always moving forward, we are continuing to evolve the Courtyard experience to meet the generational shift in how our guests work and travel today,” Francis says. 

The way people define success has changed — it is no longer just about a career or single achievement, it is about the experience and the journey of pursuing your passions, both personally and professionally, she says. 

“With this new brand platform, we are targeting the next generation business traveler and anyone who shares that mindset around how work has evolved today — the movers, explorers and trailblazers,” Francis says.