A hotel launching its fashion capsule. An automotive brand developing residences. A fashion and beauty brand opening its own café… We see it all: the lines between luxury brands and hospitality players are becoming blurred. And according to us… it’s good news!
IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTEMPORARY BRANDS
Particularly because it pushes traditional hospitality players to redouble their efforts on storytelling and to further differentiate their brand territory. What lies behind this latest promise of ‘living the extraordinary’? Behind this ‘positively local stay’ or these ‘outstanding adventures’? It seems that the more brands invite people to live something, the less they know what to tell… and the less likely they are to emerge and be truly singular in their proposition. Daniel Langer, luxury opinion leader, points out ‘the underinvestment in the soft factors, including the creation of brand story-related client experiences that engage emotional aspects. In the quest for operational excellence, the guest becomes collateral… and luxury is reduced to beautiful aesthetics and friendliness.’
Fashion, beauty, automotive, and watchmaking brands entering this market have distinctive brand territories and cultures. Aesthetically, they are rich in highly recognizable codes and often have a strong sense of place… inspiring a unique experience. But a proprietary hospitality territory is not just about that, obviously. It requires a guiding thread, inspired by the brand but applied to hospitality… Otherwise, it risks being a one-off.
Here are the challenges: for traditional actors, no longer just to be an aggregator of places and experiences… But inspire them with a real common thread ; And for the newcomers : to resist the hospitality rush and create singular experiences over the long term.
Hospitality, with its varied definitions, underscores the importance of uniqueness and a cohesive narrative. “Some definitions associate the words ‘asylum’ and ‘hospitality,’ with ‘asylum’ meaning ‘an inviolable place”. This means that your hosting experiences must be impenetrable. Impenetrable by your competitors; no one should be able to replicate what you do. According to us… It all starts with a singular guiding thread.
