We build profitable and activable brand concepts from projected Business models and in-depth final guest understanding. Brand concepts comprise a positioning and a full experience definition, throughout the guest journey.
Our process
Identifying Insights, client usages and attitudes, market opportunities.
Defining precisely the brand target, their choice motivation, the mandatory and optional aspects they will consider in the experience.
With the business objectives in mind, defining the positioning and creating the guest experience.
Transforming the concept into Operations and development of the tools to activate the brand.
Case study
Translating an existing brand into the hospitality sector.
Fauchon’s owner has always wanted to “put a roof” on the Fauchon brand, as he says it: wanting to extend the sole Gourmet brand to a French Art de Vivre brand. With the opportunity of a first hotel in Paris in 2018, he decided to move forward on this dream and contacted NeoPlaces.
Based on Fauchon’s initial positioning, gourmet luxury, and its owner’s vision, we defined the Boutique Luxury Hotel as the segment that would suit the best the Hospitality brand. A fast growing yet not overcrowded segment.
We have defined the Fauchon L’Hôtel target as Affluent women and couples who are always pursuing pleasure. It is their highest aim in life. Yet, they remain very discerning, knowing the difference between perfectly right (true luxury) and almost right (upscale). To those travelers, Fauchon L’Hôtel promises to enjoy “La Ville en Rose”, see the city they stay in in the Parisian, pleasure-oriented way. And to achieve this promise, we created a brand experience concept: the G.L.A.M.
Fauchon L’hôtel is a Glamourous hotel, a cocoon of delights and sensory comfort where guests live the intimate, arty and offbeat experience of the Fauchon brand, thanks to four pillars:
Gourmet: the most creative Parisian pastry and the contemporary interpretation of the French culinary tradition
Location: magical & luxurious at the heart of the urban day-life and where the city lives at night
Artisans & Attentions: arty feeling & private services beyond the usual hospitality rituals
Mesdames: a hotel always in tune with women: sophisticated lighting, Dyson hairdryer, bathrobes sizing and Luxury amenities
The Gourmet Bar: Designed for Fauchon L’Hôtel by Sasha Lakic and customized for each guest according to their taste and desire, this rose faceted piece of furniture is unique to the brand, present in each guest room and the ultimate Room Bar. The Fauchon products it displays are a gift to the guests.
The Gourmet in-room Check-in: thanks to an anticipated on-line check-in, the Gourmet check-in becomes a moment of pure pleasure. Guests are taken to their room directly where they are offered a Fauchon cocktail to enjoy while they discover their room and unpack.
Fauchon L’hôtel brand has been created to expand internationally as seamlessly as possible. Yet, to make sure the experience remains consistent across the world, we help to present the concept, train the teams on the detailed experience and help on the activation for the launch and the on-going marketing actions. We accompanied the opening of the Fauchon L’Hôtel Kyoto during the pandemic and are following the same approach for the two new addresses under development.
Both Fauchon L’Hôtel (Paris and Kyoto) were selected in The Leading Hotels of the World collection before their opening. The opening metrics were right on track and Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris is now rated #1 in Paris on Trip Advisor, only 3 years after its opening.
You want to know more about what a Fauchon hotel looks like? Have a look at this short video!
Case study
Creating a new concept and brand for Alboran Hospitality, to bring innovation to the French brand market.
Alboran Hotels & Hospitality Group came to the conclusion that consumer needs were moving much faster than the hospitality sector. “The world is changing, and the way people travel too” was their initial observation. Hence one of the main challenges was to reconnect with one of the fundamentals of the hotel industry: hospitality.
Based on competitive benchmarks and consumer research, we identified the opportunity to create a premium yet lifestyle brand, which would be the first in France with this positioning. There was an opportunity to take on this fast-growing segment.
Based on prospective research, we targeted a sub-category of the Millennial market: those who are refined yet adventurous, determined to push boundaries regardless of rituals or systems, and who progressively transform the world around them.
Hence, we decided to address customers who travel differently: autonomous, taking their time, using flexible and low-carbon means of transport, and who seek places representative of their values: warmer, more human, more vibrant, local, and purpose-driven.
Based on the group’s wish to do hospitality differently, we created the FEEL GOOD hotel brand. FirstName brand is open-minded, inspiring, rooted in its local environment, and built on circular principles. And of course, it cares for its guests as well as its teams.
Moreover, although the brand is French, the concept has been designed to scale internationally.
A RADICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROOMS & PUBLIC SPACES.
When creating the guest experience for FirstName, we decided to create a “radical” difference between bedrooms and public spaces. Why? Because being a FEEL GOOD brand means enabling guests to come to the hotel when they want, meet up for lunch or dinner, grab a last drink, or enjoy a concert, but also to unwind in cocooning rooms designed as true spaces of relaxation.
2 EXAMPLES OF MARKERS:
The Plant Chamber: to help guests Feel Good from the moment they arrive, each hotel will have a plant chamber with living plants at the entrance. The plant chamber also reflects FirstName’s desire to bring a touch of novelty and freshness to the guest experience.
“Eyes in the sky”: immersive and inspiring, FirstName invites travellers to raise their eyes and discover art installations on the ceiling of the restaurant.
After the concept creation, we worked with Alboran for a couple of years to transform the concept into day-to-day operations and brand activation. Among others, and with our expert ecosystem, we created the brand identity, a signature dress code (modern uniforms),
drafted the Standard Operating Procedures, produced brand assets (photo shoots), and provided operational support all along the project.
As FirstName is a new brand, we accompanied the team through the launch of the brand (communication tools, PR strategy alongside a PR agency) and the launch of the first hotel, set to open in Bordeaux.
We are also currently accompanying the Alboran Group as the brand expands, with other upcoming hotels in France.
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