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Details of the Protean/Hotspex study of emotional and cognitive drivers in hotel choice among North American Travelers
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Protean Hospitality & Hotspex Study of Brand Personality & Emotional Profiles
Summary of Findings
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© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Who We Are
◦ We’re a boutique brand strategy advisory firm focused on helping
our hospitality clients drive growth
◦ We combine our business/category expertise with tenacity, while
balancing rigor and creativity to uncover new opportunities for
your brand.
◦ We work with a network of partners & collaborators to help
operationalize the strategy
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
ACCELERATE ROI
RESEARCH
Understand the company,
category and consumer
BRAND
Understand and define a
OPERATIONALIZE
Align people, process, and
systems to brand promise
What we provide: Research | Brand | Operationalization
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Hospitality, Travel and
Leisure
Aeroplan
Air Canada
Canadian Tourism
Commission
Cara Foods
Delta Hotels
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
Fallsview Casino
Metropolitan Hotels
VFM Leonardo
Prime Restaurants
The Greater Washington
Board of Trade
The Newstead Belmont Hotel
(Bermuda)
Tourism Toronto
Travel Gay Canada
Via Rail
Holiday Inns
Other Categories
American Express
Bell / BCE
Brookfield Properties
Dell Canada
Deloitte Consulting
General Motors
IBM
Ministry of Economic
Development and Innovation
Ministry of Research and
Innovation
Pepsi Frito-Lay
Procter and Gamble
Rotman DesignWorks
Second Cup
Shoppers Drug Mart
Sport Chek
Our experience
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Study Intent
Objectives
◦ To measure the levels of emotional engagement between consumers and
hotel brands
◦ To identify white space between brands, and hence un-owned territories
for brands
◦ To understand the cognitive, experiential and emotional drivers that
determine brand preference and purchase intent
Use of Information
◦ Strategically identify emotional, experiential and functional attributes that
will directly impact brand strength and hence purchase intent
◦ Assist in developing "mass localization" tactics to deliver these attributes
meaningfully at the brand level as well as the individual property level
With a bit more input from the brand, we can
◦ Predict trajectories of brands (with .92 correlation certainty)
◦ Predict increase/decrease in market share based on hypothetical
tweaking of specific emotional, experiential and cognitive attributes
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Study Background/Methodology
The Protean/Hotspex 2012 Study of Emotional Profiles and Brand Personalities
was conducted among:
A representative sample of North American travelers with the objective of
understanding on an industry basis how emotional drivers affect hotel choice.
Eight major hotel brands were selected for the study: Best Western, Hilton,
Holiday Inn, Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott, Westin, and Wyndham.
◦ These chains were chosen for strategic reasons, each offering specific
insights into the brand landscape.
The objective of the study was to apply classic brand attachment measurement
systems to the hospitality industry as a whole
Enabling a better understanding of the drivers of hotel choice (emotional,
experiential and cognitive) and how they relate to drivers of choice in other
categories.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Overall
◦ The eight brands studied demonstrate distinct personas and emotional
connections. However, the breadth of differentiation is slim for most of the players.
◦ The differentiation that is observed is in intensity rather than distinctive offerings.
The mapping indicates the major brands are all covering roughly the same
territory, (leaving more contemporary areas such as fun, friendly, interesting,
exciting, familiar and desirable pretty much untouched (except for HI and BW
which unsurprisingly are tilted toward the more passive sentiments).
◦ This explains the prominence of modern lifestyle brands (which were not studied in
this project).
◦ The question becomes: which of the lifestyle brands (if any) are taking ownership
of these orphan but desirable territories, and what territories have they sacrificed in
doing so? And, how can the core brands amplify their emotional linkages to build
sustainable, meaningful higher order differentiation (the kind people pay money
for!)
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ When consumers are asked to liken Hilton to a person, they describe an inspiring,
interesting, hardworking leader. They would likely use words such as: confident,
sophisticated, modern active, and especially rich. As a person, Hilton would bring
consumers new experiences and new ways of breaking the mundane. Much like a
creative new idea, unfortunately this creative person can also go too far and come
across as pretentious, arrogant and show off.
◦ As a result of drifting a bit too far into this negative territory, Hilton’s weakness is in
the “hospitable” essence of hospitality – and the consumer relationship with this
brand would not be described as well-rounded. At its core, Hilton is not relaxed, nor
is it necessarily trustworthy, kind, balanced or comforting. As a brand, Hilton is the
opposite of “home” and of what’s familiar to consumers.
◦ A second look at Hilton’s logo (the sum of: blue font, finesse of the round swirl
around the letter H), reveals an “oxytocin” brand – which by design should be a lot
more nurturing than it is currently being seen as. Hilton would likely therefore benefit,
and form a stronger emotional bond with consumers if while keeping the leadership
position that it owns, it also gets consumers a little bit more in touch with its softer
side – something which it is lacking currently.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ This is a BIG, balanced brand who is driving a very solid brand image. To describe
Marriott as a person, consumers used words that represent all the core attributes
that drive their future visit intent (a measure on which Marriott outperformed the rest
of the brands in the survey): interesting, cool, likeable, like you, easy-going, reliable,
competent and successful. But the true magic about Marriott’s brand image, as
perceived by consumers, is its ability to drive a modern, leadership, mature, and
traditional personality without neglecting the friendliness, kindness and honesty.
◦ Marriott is the most well-balanced hotel brand of the eight we studied. There are no
major weaknesses to focus on other than some of the key “nurturing” attributes
which could use some attention: kind and unselfish, good, family-oriented, decent,
and polite could all be dialed up.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ To consumers, Hyatt is a more successful, yet nerdy version of Westin. While not as
cool as Westin, Hyatt is more of a leader, rich and serious.
◦ While focused on building this status, leadership and competence, Hyatt is not
getting the fundamentals of relationship-building right. Just like its peers, consumers
can’t relate to it because they are not connecting with their softer side as there is no
balance in the core.
◦ Hyatt needs to build up associations with balanced, kind, down-to-earth, and
reasonable.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ As a person, Wyndham is an empty shell who – on the surface – is modern, rich and
knowledgeable, but is superficial, pretentious and arrogant.
◦ It is the brand that consumers could relate to the least.
◦ The obscurity needs to be solved by building associations starting with Wyndham’s
core. It is not interesting, optimistic or cool, it is not building empathy and it is not
nurturing or familiar.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ Holiday Inn is a person like you: likeable, wonderful, happy, balanced, easy-going,
down-to-earth, reliable, and competent. It is not a particularly successful or
interesting person. Welcome home. Holiday Inn is associated with all of the
characteristics that one would use to describe something familiar, nurturing, and
friendly.
◦ While a well-established brand, Holiday Inn appears to be coasting along and not
doing enough to maintain excitement and vitality. It is looking a little tired, with some
consumers calling it a out-of-date and unfashionable. Its weakness is in the
leadership space where they could do a little bit more to raise their status. Also, the
brand image is currently diluted and could do a more to breakthrough.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ Likened to a person, Best Western is very passive. Consumers see a likeable,
balanced, easy-going, down-to-earth and reliable brand. However, it is imbalanced,
tending to be average, plain, out-of-date and unfashionable.
◦ It is very weak on the active side, and would need to reinvent itself to become more
interesting, optimistic and cool.
◦ The issue is not lack of awareness, but more a lack of connection and interest in
what Best Western stands for.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ Traditional, mature, and competent. Those are the words that most consumers use
when describing Sheraton as a person. However, it resembles symptoms of a brand
that has past its peak and is not doing enough to reinvigorate itself.
◦ At first glance, Sheraton comes across as an unsuccessful version of Hilton. While
just as rich, competent, traditional, and conservative, it is not building any interest,
empathy or a connection with consumers. It is just as pretentious, arrogant and
uptight as Hilton, but it is missing Hilton’s charm: Sheraton is not seen as interesting,
cool, and likeable.
◦ Sheraton has the quality, reliability and confidence of an established brand, but the
personality of a C-list celebrity who needs a facelift , a Toastmasters membership,
and, like Hilton, a crash-course on getting consumers in touch with its softer side.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
◦ A cool, interesting, successful, competent and reliable person. That’s how consumers
described Westin. It is just as competent, rich and modern as its peers, but it is also
as pretentious, arrogant and uptight.
◦ While being seen as an attractive, fashionable, trendy and modern brand, there is a
barrier in building the consumer relationship because consumers can’t relate to it.
◦ Westin would benefit from focusing on dialing up consumer associations with friendly,
likeable, kind, down-to-earth or reasonable to create a stronger relationship.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Cracking the code of Emotions
Until recently, most researchers focused almost exclusively on the rational mind in
quantitative surveys. While research techniques to measure ‘emotions’ continues to develop
(brain scanning etc.),
Invested 4 years and conducted thousands of surveys toward developing a
comprehensive online measurement approach, which effectively captures how people
‘feel’ about and react emotionally to brands, new product concepts and packaging designs.
This methodology is based on a comprehensive list of 85 emotions and 182 personalities.
The relationship between these attributes has been mapped and inter-related in great
detail through over 10,000 surveys and advanced multivariate analytics.
We have proven conclusively across over 34 categories and over 101 brands that, on
average, “soft” drivers account for half of all buying behavior. Therefore measuring these
drivers is critical to any successful research project.
How people feel
about brands, new
product concepts,
packages and
services.
The personality that is projected
outwards by brands, new product
concepts, packages and services.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Category Context
1. Emotions – a connection,
warmth, excitement, pleasure –
have twice as much impact on
their choice of where to stay
when compared to rational
features and benefits (70% vs.
30%)
20
Emotional vs. Rational Drivers of Choice
2. Compared to other categories
– even service categories --
hotel brands are
underperforming radically in
terms of delivering these
emotional connections
Consumers evaluation of emotional drivers
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Understanding the Emotional Regions
Orange: The Inspiring or
Leadership Zone
Is based on feeling inspired and
optimistic
Blue: The Nurturing Zone
Is linked to feelings of human
warmth such as love, caring, and
compassion
Grey: The Familiar Zone
Is home to feelings of
satisfaction and gratitude
Red: The Fun Zone
Is associated with emotions such as
enjoyment, amusement, and desire
Yellow: The
Interesting Zone
Is built on the core emotion of
Interest as well as feelings of
amazement and surprise, and
being alive and energized
Purple: The Friendly Zone
Is associated with emotions
related to liking
Green: The Trustworthy Zone
Is grounded in emotions such as
trust, loyalty, and respect
Brown: The Competent Zone
Includes core emotions of
acceptance and fellowship, as well
as feeling informed and self-
confident
“LIKE YOU”
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Understanding the Emotional Regions
“LIKE YOU”
Attributes at the edge on the map have
greatest negative impact on behaviour and lead
to distraction and rejection.
Attributes in between the Core and Outer rings
are typically the attributes that can be used to
differentiate between brands.
In general, attributes closest to the centre or core
of the map have the greatest positive impact on
consumer behaviour – on attraction and buying –
but are difficult to differentiate on.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Hilton
Base: Hilton (n=68)
Q12. Brands are not people, but they do have personality. If this brand were a person would it be more…
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Marriott
Base: Marriott (n=95)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Hyatt
Base: Hyatt (n=113)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Holiday Inn
Base: Holiday Inn (n=100)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Wyndham
Base: Wyndham (n=108)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Best Western
Base: Best Western (n=99)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Sheraton
Base: Sheraton (n=84)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Westin
Base: Westin (n=123)
Competent
Fam
iliar Friendly
Inte
rest
ing
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Centers of Gravity: Totality of Personasphere and
Emotisphere
Six of the eight brands
cluster in 2 emotional
territories, with the 2
family brands sharing
space on the other
side of the map, in the
“Familiar” segment.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
The Drivers of Consumer Choice
NEGATIVE
DRIVERS
Negative attributes do not
appear in driver maps, but they
are shown in the Hotspex
Heatmaps.
Drivers are plotted
against a dependent
variable (purchase
intent) in order to
calculate a derived
impact score.
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Importance of Functional Attributes
Is different or unique in some way
Is well advertised or has memorable advertising
Room design is attractive
Service staff are friendly
Recommended by friends or family
Performs well on/ has high online ratings and evaluations
Provides an easy online reservation process
Available where I need to travel
Offers a good price/ provides good value for money
Offers special discounts or deals
Has a swimming pool Is successful and is a leading
hotel chain
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Sta
ted
Im
po
rtan
ce,
%
Category Derived Importance
Table Stakes
Unimportant
Key Drivers
Hidden Drivers
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Importance of Personality Attributes
-
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
Chart 1
Personasphere
Derived Importance Average
Personasphere: Brand image– What I think of the brand
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Importance of Emotional Attributes
-
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
Chart 2
EmotiSphere
Derived Importance Average
Emotisphere: Experience of the brand – How the brand makes me feel
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
The Opportunity
1. Understand how your operation is perceived
◦ Protean Hospitality Brand Measurement
or
◦ Survey of loyal customers and non customers
and how it is experienced
◦ Customer experience audit
2. Identify the deficits relative to the industry averages
3. Understand how these specific attributes are delivered, expressed and
experienced
4. Working with internal operations and marketing teams develop
operationalization programs
52
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
Understanding the Emotional Regions
“LIKE YOU” Opposite Zones Have
Opposing Relationships
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Top-20 Positives
Q12. Brands are not people, but they do have personality. If this brand were a person would it be more…
Base: those familiar with the brand (base varies by brand)
PersonaSphere
(Top-20 Positive)
Hilton Sheraton Marriott Westin Hyatt Holiday Inn Wyndham Best Western
A B C D E F G H
Respondents: 68 84 95 123 113 100 108 99
Competent 76 GH 71 H 76 GH 63 65 63 55 48
Reliable 66 58 76 BDEGH 57 60 62 47 53
Successful 78 BDFGH 52 FH 66 FGH 58 FH 68 FGH 27 46 23
Likeable 50 42 61 48 46 67 BDEG 43 57
Interesting 64 BH 40 63 BGH 54 50 44 43 37
Friendly 37 26 43 29 31 60 ABDEG 28 52 BDEG
Cool 42 29 48 H 49 H 40 33 41 23
Like you 26 33 48 E 30 24 51 EG 29 42
Down-to-earth 28 25 38 D 11 17 65
ABCDEG 20
74
ABCDEG
Knowledgeable 39 36 36 33 41 33 30 24
Easy-going 22 19 32 18 16 65
ABCDEG 16
71
ABCDEG
Hard-working 37 24 39 19 29 43 D 27 31
Modern 38 24 39 H 36 38 26 27 15
Rich 47 FH 30 H 30 32 H 45 FH 10 30 6
Intelligent 35 28 34 30 42 H 23 24 14
Confident 36 24 35 30 36 19 22 18
Mature 32 28 35 22 30 22 19 17
Practical 28 22 32 14 17 39 D 18 33
Straightforward 25 23 29 20 24 33 15 28
Reasonable 20 21 27 15 24 37 G 10 31
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
PersonaSphere – Top-20 Negatives
Q12. Brands are not people, but they do have personality. If this brand were a person would it be more…
Base: those familiar with the brand (base varies by brand)
Pretentious 21 23 13 25 23 3 26 2
Arrogant 16 20 11 23 20 1 19 1
A show-off 20 15 13 19 20 3 15 2
Average 5 17 5 9 4 19 13 27
Out-of-date 13 11 5 6 4 20 10 29 E
Plain 1 11 4 9 5 26 6 29 E
Rigid 13 17 9 16 17 4 7 2
Uptight 8 17 5 15 18 3 13 3
Unfashionable 1 10 6 6 2 22 7 24
A follower 9 13 2 10 2 18 4 16
Greedy 12 14 5 10 11 4 8 2
Superficial 9 12 2 13 8 3 13 5
Narrow-minded 12 12 3 8 9 5 11 5
Inflexible 9 13 11 8 13 3 5 2
Unimaginative 4 15 5 8 2 9 7 12
Demanding 11 7 7 12 9 2 11 1
Authoritarian 9 7 4 7 13 1 8 -
Cold 8 7 6 8 13 1 11 2
Unfriendly 4 12 5 7 4 - 8 5
Theatrical 10 10 6 5 9 4 5 1
PersonaSphere
(Top-20 Negative)
Hilton Sheraton Marriott Westin Hyatt Holiday Inn Wyndham Best Western
A B C D E F G H
Respondents: 68 84 95 123 113 100 108 99
10-15%: a concern, 16-19%: a serious concern, 20%+: a very serious concern
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
EmotiSphere – Top-20 Positives
Q12. In this section we are going to take a close look at exactly how you feel about a few specific hotel brands.
Base: those familiar with the brand (base varies by brand)
Trust 65 D 59 D 67 D 36 53 62 D 51 57
Interested 65 BDG 45 73 BDEGH 39 53 63 D 46 52
Liking 65 BDG 48 76 BDEGH 35 52 63 DG 37 55
Satisfied 55 G 38 66 BDEG 34 39 54 G 30 52
Pleasure 45 34 54 DEG 29 30 53 DEG 24 49 G
Comforted 41 37 59 BDEGH 26 34 44 28 32
Warm 44 D 32 56 BDEG 19 34 48 D 25 37
Happy 44 G 35 50 DG 24 40 46 G 21 35
Safe 31 40 47 25 39 36 34 42
Relaxed 46 G 29 52 BDG 24 33 39 23 34
Self-confident 40 35 39 24 32 40 23 28
A connection 31 22 41 G 18 24 36 16 36
Inspired 30 28 38 G 26 28 30 13 20
Respect 33 35 39 H 20 22 29 18 15
Accepted 21 15 34 17 18 20 11 33
Excited 25 24 29 14 23 24 17 12
Entertained 26 19 29 17 15 24 11 16
Informed 21 22 27 16 15 19 18 14
Optimistic 21 19 30 21 19 18 9 12
Loyal 28 17 24 11 19 17 11 9
EmotiSphere
(Top-20 Positive)
Hilton Sheraton Marriott Westin Hyatt Holiday Inn Wyndham Best Western
A B C D E F G H
Respondents: 128 117 101 76 88 97 93 104
© Protean Hospitality Partnership
EmotiSphere – Top-20 Negatives
Can’t relate 26 26 10 29 27 15 34 20
Unsure 9 6 7 11 6 13 16 16
Unaffected 4 9 4 8 3 9 11 14
Unchanged 3 6 7 8 7 8 9 13
Mixed feelings 5 5 2 8 7 9 8 11
Excluded 5 2 3 10 6 - 7 3
Disappointed 9 3 2 2 - 5 3 10
Apprehensive 1 2 2 6 4 6 7 9
Bored 3 - - 1 - 4 - 8
Pessimistic 4 2 2 4 4 3 5 5
Unhappy 2 - - - - - - 5
Dissatisfied 2 1 2 3 2 6 1 10
Uncomfortable 3 3 - 1 1 3 - 6
Critical 3 2 - - - 2 - 3
Worried - 2 2 - - 4 - 2
Shame 3 - 2 - - - - -
Unappreciated 5 1 1 2 2 1 2 5
Frustrated 1 1 2 4 2 1 - 5
Intimidated 3 2 1 4 3 - 2 1
Disliking 3 - - 1 - 1 - 4
EmotiSphere
(Top-20 Negative)
Hilton Sheraton Marriott Westin Hyatt Holiday Inn Wyndham Best Western
A B C D E F G H
Respondents: 128 117 101 76 88 97 93 104
10-15%: a concern, 16-19%: a serious concern, 20%+: a very serious concern