The future role of brand design in the hospitality sector

Do brand design standards within hospitality industry lose their relevance? Asking this question was key content of TECE’s 4th venue to support open exchange on design development and networking with key customers in the hospitality segment. Global players in the world of hospitality increase the number of their brands and individualize the design within the brands.

“To follow our claim of being ‘close to you’ we need to understand the trend, challenges and opportunities our partners and customers have to deal with. Only by doing so we can ensure best tailored services and solutions” explained Sebastian Noack, Head of International Project Business of TECE their motivation.

The Tourism Investment Hospitality and Design Forum

The Tourism Investment Hospitality and Design Forum has grown up to new established international conference for hospitality professionals, designers, developers and investors. Only five years ago, it was initiated by “PKF hotelexperts” and About Hotel”, the online hotel industry magazine.

Invited by TECE, about 30 speakers and panelists discussed in Milan and presented latest trends and developments to about 650 registered professionals, at least 120 of them coming from abroad. “With our focus on both investment and design, Milan is the perfect venue to reference the markets of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean,” enthused Giorgio Bianchi, Director / Head of Italy, PKF hotelexperts.This year, TECE chose the creative context of Milan Design Week to discuss about brand design standards. Former events took place in Munich, Singapore and Amsterdam.

The panel

Moderated by Sleeper’s Editor-at-Large, Guy Dittrich, the auditorium could follow an intensive discussion about the different viewing points and experience of the panel members. The world´s largest brands have been presented by Emma King, head of design in the London office of the InterContinental Group, Stefanie Rummel, Director Design & Project Management at Marriott Global Design Europe as well as Philippe Gacon, Senior Director for Interior Design midscale & economy brands Europe from Accor Hotels in Paris. Their counterparts have been Isabelle Pintado, Senior Vice President and Managing Director Wilson Associates from Dubai as well as Clint Nagata from the Blink Design Group flying on from Bangkok. To represent the investors and operators voice Rudolf Grossmayer, member of the board at UBM Development AG from Vienna could be won.

How to deal with brand design standards in a time of demand for individuality

Brand standards are still seen as a relevant tool of operators and brand owners to ensure brand recognition in the market; this is one key conclusion of an animated discussion. Nevertheless, the increasing competition in the development market requires creativity and flexibility. More and more projects take place as conversions or mixed-use requiring acceptance of the existing architecture or general development plan. This could lead to situations where standards could not apply, e.g. if static conditions do not allow required standard sizes. At the same time, a growing number of soft brands and boutique labels enter the market. These products offer less a visual identity but much more a kind of experiential community.

What can be stated as a conclusion to these trends? At the end it is an individual decision project by project if a deviation of standards or a soft brand is the key to success in matching all stakeholders interests. Or as Clint Nagata said: ““Understanding the rules, or in this case the standards, it enables us to find ways to break them. It’s hard to create something different or unique without knowing what the problem is.”

From industrial side, investors and architects require more solutions to offer both, brand and individualisation at the same time. With its customized solutions towards colours, surfaces and shape TECE is able to respond to these individual trends and to support the search of designers when they want to “break the rules of design standards”.