Relentless Or Die?

Any fool can have a logo and some advertising.

That’s not what it’s about.

Your brand is about people.

It’s how your people make the people walking through your door feel.

And just last week, something related to that happened right here.


That little nugget of brand thinking fell upon us like a ton of gold bricks.

The Fabulous Honey Parker and I are working with one of the world’s biggest names in luxury hotel brands.

They want a podcast.

Yes, you read that correctly: a luxury hotel wants a podcast.


This show, which I’ve nicknamed Hidden Hotel, is an internal product.

In a big hotel operation, there are always lots of staff members who don’t know each other.

This show is an effort to shine a light on the people who serve the brand, letting the staff members see each other taking pride in their work.

In producing the pilot episodes, we sat down to record several employees. The staff member who is acting as the host said, “You’re going to love this next guy. He’s great.”


She was wrong.

He was beyond great.

He came into the recording session and sat down at the table. He looks young.

His LinkedIn profile suggests he might be in his late 20s. Beneath his beard, he’s fresh-faced and bright-eyed.

Like all the employees, he wears a silver lapel pin bearing the hotel’s initials.

We asked him, “What do you love about working here?”

There was zero hesitation.


“I love having high-expectation guests stay at the hotel.

“I love people that come in, expecting to have the most perfect stay with us, to have everything that they've ever dreamed of in a vacation come true. I love making memories for people.

“Whether it's as small as giving out a smores kit, to upgrading a room and making someone's honeymoon exceptional, I really love working for the [hotel’s] brand.

“I take a lot of pride in working for the brand, knowing that it's one the leading luxury brands of hospitality in the world.  

“I think that it’s special, that it’s something to take seriously, and that wearing [the hotel’s initials] on your chest is something to really take pride in.”

Wow. Dude.


I was ready to follow this kid onto the frontlines of the luxury hotel business.

And I say this as someone who has worked in high-ticket retail and never wants to work with the general public ever again.

Never underestimate the branding power of having a staff member who’s a cheery, bright-eyed fanatic for your brand. It can change everything about the business.

What’s that? You work alone?

Well, guess who has to become that cheery, bright-eyed fanatic for your brand…
Cheers,

Blaine Parker
Your Lean, Mean Creative Director in Park City
 
LIGHTNING BRANDING ON AMAZON
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