post Wednesday August 8, 2012
The importance of continuous branding and innovation can be illustrated by Hilton Worldwide, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world. The almost century old company has a large history of innovation.
Innovation
Hilton Worldwide is a pioneer in the hospitality industry:
In 1927, one of the Hilton hotels had air conditioning, and in 1955 this was installed in each of the Hilton hotels. The Roosevelt Hilton was the first hotel with TV’s in guest rooms. The Hilton Carte Blanche credit card, a travel and entertainment card, was introduced in 1958. In 1989, Hilton’s Hampton Hotels was the first company to promise 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, ensuring that payment is not required if travelers are not satisfied. Currently, the company is also active in calculating sustainability performance through its LightStay™ system.
Branding
The different Hilton brands correspond to the needs of different target groups. The firm currently has 10 distinct brands, grouped into 4 categories:
In addition, the guest loyalty program Hilton HHonors™ offers members the opportunity to earn both points and air miles. Over 29 million members take advantage of this program.
The Hilton family’s concept has been a great success. The company has over 3,800 hotels in 88 countries. Moreover, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has the highest global brand awareness in the hospitality industry. In addition, Hampton Hotels, another brand of Hilton Worldwide, is named the number one franchise opportunity in Franchise 500® ranking of Entrepreneur Magazine 2011 and 2012. To conclude, the hospitality company knows the importance of branding and innovation and is an example for other firms in this perspective.
Source:Hilton Worldwide
Image courtesy byHilton Worldwide
