Naming the New Normal in Hospitality

Our society is beginning to release itself from the restraints of COVID 19 isolation, and getting back to what we call a ‘new normal.’  People are cautiously going back to their places of work, eating out, shopping, and enjoying entertainment outside the home. They are also weighing the risks of travel and lodging.

Companies are getting ready for this new normal by offering employees and customers a promise of safety, cleanliness, and smart interactions. We’re beginning to see a stream of branding programs to this effect, with companies creating names, logos, slogans, messages, and advertising for these times.

Most of these programs look beyond just re-opening the doors. Instead, we see branding, and even co-branding, with an eye toward longer-term societal realities. That is, how should we expect to interact intelligently and safely with others in the futures? This likely will be the new normal going forward.

We’ll also see people weighing the risks of travel and lodging, whether for business or for pleasure. Needless to say, COVID is the antithesis of hospitable. So, hospitality companies are trying to get people comfortable with the idea of staying in their hotels and interacting in other facilities.

For example, Hilton’s new campaign – ‘Defining a New Standard of Cleanliness’ is being launched as CleanStay:

The Lysol protection endorsement addresses the need to disinfect rooms and common areas, but the initiative also addresses other new normal concerns like maintaining social distance and keeping things contactless throughout the facility.

Marriott also is exercising its Commitment to Clean by establishing a council to oversee these efforts going forward.

Radisson is speaking to protocols for safety rather than just maintaining cleanliness. With this as a focus, it’s partnering with SGS, a leading global company in safety inspection, verification, testing, and certification.

Hyatt is stepping forward with a global care and cleanliness commitment accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC).

Aramark, a global leader in food, facilities management, and uniforms, unveiled its Aramark EverSafe TM initiative.  This will be a multi-dimensional platform that supports safe reopening and sustainable management of client locals around the world. This impacts a wide range of places in the new normal, including workplaces, lodging, venues, schools, parks, prisons, and other locales.

Also, opening the new normal at its essence is a life and death issue. Some of these companies have sought out healthcare partnerships to facilitate the expertise and science behind these protocols. For example, Hilton is partnering with the Mayo Clinic and Aramark is partnering with Jefferson Health.

In sum, many more companies, both within and outside of the hospitality space, will announce their initiatives and commitments. We do observe that names developed and launched to date tend to be descriptive rather than suggestive or fanciful. This seems to make sense for these times. While descriptive trademarks may not be highly distinctive, they are readily understood, and as such, purposeful and reassuring. They do become more distinctive and protected when combined with the company’s masterbrand, and even more so if combined with a distinctive graphic treatment.