Hotel brands face a marketing conundrum: Though they may be national or global brands, the average consumer experiences them on a local basis. Travelers may have a general preference for one chain or another, but when it comes to deciding which specific property at which to stay and how much they enjoy the experience, it comes down to local. So how should global hospitality brands manage such a bifurcated marketing strategy? (more…)

It’s a safe bet no one envies Subway’s marketing team – or its reported new CMO – in the wake of the unprecedented implosion of its longtime spokesman. The brand is facing a situation that will likely become a reputation management case study for years to come. While Subway wasn’t complicit in the actions of its longtime spokesman, Jared Fogle, the range of responses from branding experts – from laying low to undergoing a major shift and seemingly everything in between – underscores the complexity and delicate nature of the issue at hand. (more…)