Ideal Leisure
We were very reactive with our marketing and had no consistency within our brand, that was until we started working with Brand Glue. They helped us step away from the day to day of running our business and look at the areas which were going to have the biggest impact. The brand positioning models were an excellent start and have really kept us focused on what we are trying to achieve and think in a more strategic way. Our activity was reactive too, but now we have a detailed plan of activity and a clear indication on what we are spending each month, thank you Brand Glue!!
Oliver Weeks, Operations Director
The brief:
Take us to the next stage of growth: plan our marketing and develop the brand.
Ideal Leisure run high quality hotels, restaurants and pubs in Hampshire - known for their great individual venues (see above left), Ideal Leisure Ltd was used only as a company name and individual venues using their own brand names. Venues were marketed with lots of activity throughout the year, but with little planning, so activities were often rushed.
What we did:
First we looked at the brand. With workshop sessions with the senior management team, plus visits to the venues we got to grips with how the venues work together and what sat at the heart of how they delivered great venues and service.
We created a brand positioning model, now used to brief staff, agencies and suppliers on the Ideal brand. Then we looked at the marketing activity, assessing successes and looking for gaps. We focused on development of an online and social media plan alongside more traditional advertising routes.
The results:
We recommended formation of an endorser brand the 'Ideal Collection' to group their stylish premium venues together and create a more obvious family of venues (see above right). Whilst venues could maintain their 'individuality', the new brand architecture could be used to cross-promote across the family more easily.
As well as tradiotional marketing methods, Ideal Collection venues now use Facebook and Twitter heavily to promote news, new food, specials, events and offers. And, everything is better planned!