Le Club Accorhotels - Do you think Accor brands are distinctive enough?

Just a quick question... I am the only one to wonder why Accor is creating so many "new" brands? Even if other chains have hotels of the same brand that can vary greatly, I feel there are massive discrepancies between, say, two Novotel or two Mercure hotels. The addition of MGallery, Pullman, "So Sofitel" and so on... do you feel it adds information when you select an hotel or not?

I have always been of the opinion that there are too much brands in Accor. But a kind of consolidation has already started with the Ibis brand covering now "regular Ibis", Etap, F1 and all seasons, and Suite hotel rebranded Suite Novotel.
Consistency ? Well this pb exists for any hotel chains. Staying also frequently in other main hotel brands, I can tell you that some Hilton are clearly better than others. Same for Mariott and all others. But for Accor, I find Novotel and "regular Ibis" very consistent.

Interesting question. Some "brands" are actually only sub brands: So Sofitel and Legend are subbrands of Sofitel. I'm not sure either add really anything but they are not marketed really as a brand.

MGallery initially was linked to Mercure (even in logo terms), but has since moved into a catch all slightly upmarket selection of individual hotels.

Mercure is really confusing, some dreadful some actually quite good, throw in the Asian Grand Mercure (Mei Jue in China) and it gets worse in terms of a clear brand.

As Goldorak says both Novotel and Ibis are what the Americans call cookie cutter hotels: all the same no matter where you go. Novotel was Accor's answer to Holiday Inn. The Novotel Suites proposition is an afterthought.

Accor has a problem with its brands, too many and not necessarily clear standards across most of them. Then again not all Hiltons are the same either, some are run down (Hilton Newark Airport anyone? :D), some are quite nice.

The new ibis "superbrand" I don't get at all and I assume neither will most travellers. Very confusing.

Are there too many? Not necessarily compared to other large operators such as Hilton or IHG but what Accor has not managed is the clear definitions.

A reminder of the brands:

http://www.accor.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Contenus_Accor/Hotellerie/img/carnet_marques/tableau_des_marques_2012_uk.jpg

I think the picture you posted sums the problem up : at each level, there are several entries, some subdivided into sub-brands... The labelling could have a good role for Mercure hotel (which I usually don't book because of that) where you can't know in advance what you'll find : ibis-like or slightly-better-than-novotel. It encompasses too much.

And where they had a standardized offer, Ibis, they suddenly decided to use the name to group four different brands under one name... Confusing, yes.

Here is an interesting article on the Accor brand confusion (http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/7691/CEOs-answer-tough-questions-about-hotel-brands).

....He began with Accor—namely, the group’s strategy to restructure its economy brands under the ibis “mega brand.” Under the new alignment, ibis remains ibis, all seasons is transitioning into ibis styles, and Etap Hotel will become ibis budget.

“Do you actually think customers will understand that?” Johnson asked Denis Hennequin, chairman and CEO of the Paris-based hotel chain....

The answer I'm afraid is no, customers are confused.

According to the brand category chart above HOTEL FORMULE1 will also become ibis budget?

I hope they will upgarde some of those HOTEL FORMULE1 properties.

Brand consistency and brand reputation are, with location and loyalty programs, a major success factor in the hospitality sector.

It is all the more true when:
- guests book their stay on internet
- stays are made by guests from abroad rather than by locals.

In this context, to reduce the advertising costs and improve brand awareness, it is important to reduce the number of brands.

Segmentation of Accor hotels is not so different from other large hotels groups like Starwood or IHG:
- design versus traditional (So by Sofitel versus Legends)
- luxury versus budget (Sofitel versus ibis)
- leisure versus business (Thalassa versus Pullman)
- standard versus different (Novotels versus Mercure)
- residence versus hotels (Suites Novotels versus
Novotels).

All the hotel chains have the same problems. They have well though out brand structure but the implementation is lacking.

All the hotel chains have the same problems. They have well though out brand structure but the implementation is lacking.

Indeed. The issue is that it is not that simple to implement a concept, which is not only a question of sqm and design, but also of service and atmosphere.

It is all the more true when properties are run by third parties and/or are renovated hotels not necessarily designed for the concept.