Brand Management Report: Marriott Hotel Brand Portfolio Strategy

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BRAND MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...........................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction..............................................................................................................................................2
Main body................................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................................6
Task 2...........................................................................................................................................................7
1. Analyze the organization’s brand portfolio strategy...........................................................................7
2. Provide an illustration of the hierarchy management of brands within organization’s portfolio........8
3. Analyze strategies used for managing the equity of the brands within the organization’s portfolio. .9
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................................11
1. Strengths of the brand that can be leveraged (M4)............................................................................11
2. Weaknesses that may need attention providing some possible suggestions......................................11
3. Collaborative and partnership agreements.........................................................................................12
Task 4.........................................................................................................................................................13
Measuring and managing brand value (M5)..........................................................................................13
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................15
References..................................................................................................................................................16

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Brand pyramid..............................................................................................................................3
Figure 2: Keller's Brand equity model.........................................................................................................5
Figure 3: Marriott branded house................................................................................................................7
Figure 4: House of brands example.............................................................................................................8

Introduction
Brand management can be considered as the analysing of brand in the common market. It is important to
develop the proper strategies of brand management in order to achieve the competitive edge. Due to this,
report will explain the various approaches and concepts in context with brand management. Various
brand building stages will be highlighted and model will be explained for brand strengthening. Branding
importance, hierarchy management and brand portfolio of the Marriott hotel will also be presented. The
two concepts will be explained that are brand extension and leveraging together with the measurement
of brand and its value. Hotel Marriott is the hospitality organization offering services across worldwide.
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Task 1
Introduction
For the current study, the report will be taking the case study of hotel Marriott for analyzing the
management of brand. Presently, the firm has the responsibility of brand management and on this
concern they have decided to consider the ‘Optimum Impression Ltd’ to prepare the marketing
brochures for Marriott to increase the customer base for the organization.
Main body
Brand and brand equity overview
Brand is the process that depicts the organization slogans, taglines, designs, signage and other elements
to create the connection so as to examine the products and services importance of the organization. In
context to brand, marketing helps in decision making that also reflects the perceptions of the customers
whether they like the product or not (Malhotra et.al. 2015).
On the other side, brand equity is very important for firm brand management as it shows the brand value
as per interest of the customer for services and goods. Because of this, hotel Marriot has to manage the
brand through the marketing department to target on brand equity by changing the marketing current
program for identifying the creativity components for achieving brand equity.
Brand development using brand pyramid or brand development stages
Hotel deals in the hospitality services for the large base of customers so as to get the maximum customer
satisfaction which is the main objective of the business. There is involvement of several elements that
are crucial for brand strengthening. The marketing team should spread the knowledge related to the
services that the hotel is offering and it can be explained through execution of brand pyramid (Hemsley-
Brown et.al. 2016).
Brand pyramid is significant in hotel Marriott by examining the reasons for motivation of individual
only for one brand products. The pyramid is carefully described below in number of stages:-
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Figure 1: Brand pyramid
(Source: The Business School, 2019)
Product features: For reflecting the brand power, groups provide useful facilities of rooms that come
every price range essentially adding the facilities as well. The room characteristics of the Marriott hotel
is that it offer all the necessary facilities including modern trend and taking in concern the customer
demand.
Functional benefits: The brand reflects that organization not at all compromise the quality of the
products and services in any case that also supports in maintaining the cost of the business (Lithopoulos
et.al. 2018).
Emotional benefits: At the foremost, the needs of the customers and the reason for the employee’s
conduct the daily initiatives so that current accommodation facilities can be managed and gaps can be
covered. In addition, the emotional feeling also exists in hotels so that consumer can feel like home.
Core values: Hotel Marriott focuses on customer identification needs and thus it is important to have the
strategies of marketing development that identifies the business values that are entirely relied on
experience, leadership, team work and integrity as well.
Brand idea: Marriott is the most reasonable brand in the hotel industry therefore it is most important to
spread the brand idea which is based on providing the high accommodation facilities with greater quality
based on several prices.
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Marketing department role in developing brand equity
Brand equity is the most important element that increases the brand value of the firm in the market
scenario. The equity can be increased with the support of marketing strategies which in exchange
facilitates the awareness of brand and creating the brand image in market and in eye of customers. The
department of marketing of Marriott hotel develops the strategies which are highly based on channels of
distribution and prices as well.
The marketing team role is also crucial for development of marketing strategies to have consumer
awareness for the present products and services that finally increases the product demand (Kasemsap,
2015). The awareness of product will help the team to create the strong relationship with the
management and customers. The pricing significance is increasing due to the fact that the firm can
capture more attention of the customers and acknowledges about the market preferences and product
value. Therefore, price sensitiveness and attention of the customer is equally important. The innovation
in the product is also the role of marketing department but innovation shall not be expensive so that it
can be used as the effective strategy for brand equity increment. The organization can also chose the
product distribution channels suitably such as offering online booking to the customers for rooms
along with payment and cancellation criteria as well to get the customer satisfaction.
Strengthening brand equity strategy (M1)
Increase in brand equity can be done with the right execution of brand equity model of Keller’s.
According to this approach, the organization main objective is to focus on identification of brand. On
this account, it is important to conduct the research in the market for determining the customers desires
and to spread awareness that they given exactly the same product that they want.
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Figure 2: Keller's Brand equity model
(Source: Marketing91, 2019)
The model reflects that it is most crucial for the firm to share with the organization for their outstanding
performances by applying some visual images that shows Marriott efforts to reflect their branding. On
this concern, the brand response is also important which can be taken place through right
communication mean along with considering product innovation that Marriott gives in contrast with the
competitors (Armstrong et.al. 2018). The image also shows the importance of customer relationship by
identifying the active involvement, repeat purchases and attachment of attitude.
Brand extension, reinforcing and revitalizing brands strategies
Brand reinforcement generally focuses on brand equity management by creating the latest and current
customers for branding purpose. For getting reinforcement of brand, the innovation and creativity shall
be ensured in current accommodation facilities of hotel Marriott. On the other side, brand extension is
the strategy where Marriott can introduce the segment of new product by taking the benefit of brand
already developed. For example: bringing the project of new restaurant in the same brand Marriott in
addition with living room facilities can be termed as brand extension. Apart from the creativity and
innovation, reinforcement can be supportive in carrying out the advertisement, events, sponsorship and
many more (Beverland, 2016). For present product which is not gaining any revenue then the firm
should target on brand awareness and brand revitalization.
Appropriate and validated examples within an organizational context (M2)
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With the purpose of making the easy study, it is significant to do assessment and comparison. It is due to
the MNCs that impacts the Marriott hotel and use the Keller’s model of equity has shown several
outcomes. The loyal customer base will help the Marriott to have regular feedbacks for having
consistent updating for meeting demand of the customers. The expansion of market base can be
increased through brand awareness enhancement. The loyalty of the customer can be achieved by
customer trust meeting that can be advantageous for the business (Gaustad et.al. 2019). The market
wants and preferences of the customer are continuously developing and because of this innovation are
important to be considered.
Conclusion
From the analysis, it can be said that the tools of marketing is very important for brand increment and its
awareness in the common public. The mentioned tools help in new products introduction by giving out
the features of product and brand together with any combination of acquisitions had tool place in brand
extension strategy. The branding will support the Marriott for showing their market visibility that finally
increases the performance of business. Brand offers the product identification so that trust and loyalty of
the customer can be increased. The most appropriate tool of marketing supports in assurance of quality
and positioning of product in the market context.
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Task 2
1. Analyze the organization’s brand portfolio strategy
Brand portfolio is the various brands combination that comes in individual firm with the purpose of
achieving the customer needs from majority of the segments. The strategy is assistive in getting the high
returns but with including affordable risk challenges (Nguyen et.al. 2018). Marriott hotel can usefully
consider the expansion of brand by introducing the framework under Marriott hotel to provide the
customers with higher services and foods quality. There are several models in brand portfolio strategy
but the two most appropriate brand portfolio approaches that can be considered by Marriott hotel
according to circumstances:-
Branded house: This approach reflects that the main brand is the parent brand and its linked services
and products are the subsets. For example: Marriott hotel is main parental brand and its aligned services
such as food court, travelling vehicles or accommodation at specific place are its subset.
Figure 3: Marriott branded house
(Source: Benchmark, 2019)
House of brands: Through this approach, the branding is relied on the subset of brand irrespective of the
organization brand. Marriott hotel has high targets on motivating and increasing their sub brands apart
from the corporate brand. The hotel has various sub sets brands in which main stake is with them for
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other brand (Chapleo, 2015). The strategy is appropriate in raising the brand but managing the legal
functions is complex at few times.
Figure 4: House of brands example
(Source: Willow marketing, 2017)
2. Provide an illustration of the hierarchy management of brands within organization’s portfolio
The management in the brand hierarchy is referred as brand architecture in which several products and
services are varied from one other. In the structure of brand, the making of decision is relied on major
and management of sub brand. The below mentioned are levels of branding that are explained below:-
Endorsed branding:
The structure of the brand is created through range of brand products that are collaborated with the help
of endorsed parent brand. It is beneficial in achieving the loyalty and trust of government. Such type of
architecture structure is similar from branded house in which parental brand is significant driver and on
the next side, endorsing the brand reflects the house of brand strategy in which main significance is for
sub branding (Vatsa, 2016).
Umbrella branding:
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It is significant branding approach as it uses the single brand name to sell out the various products. It is
majorly used by the organizations when the firm has high positive brand equity. This type of hierarchy is
effectively managed from positive interlinks with customers, shareholders, employees, organization and
rest of the stakeholders. As the sale of the item raises the parent single brand name also increases in the
market scenario.
Product branding
By this structure, the goods are sold in sub brands without any interruption in parent brand ( Aldousari
et.al. 2017). Few of the sub brands of Marriott are Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites, Marriott Towne Place
Suites, Marriott Residence Inns, Courtyard Marriott and Marriott Springhill Suites.
3. Analyze strategies used for managing the equity of the brands within the organization’s portfolio
The equity in brand can be attractively distinct through quality, loyalty, awareness and association. The
brand loyalty reflects the customer positive perspectives which can be addressed through examining the
continuous reviews and feedbacks from their purchases. The brand awareness is significant in the
customer for brand equity rise. The reasonability of the quality identifies the expectations of the
customers in connection with the quality of product and service provided through Marriott. While, brand
association signifies the features of product, benefits of customers or products class and many more.
In the firm internally, portfolio of brand equity can be divided by carried through brand evaluation in
context with quality of product (He and Balmer, 2017). The organization shall targets on creativity in the
present products to lay down the positive impact on buying behavior of customer. As per equity model
of branding, the management of brand equity can be improved through awareness, identity, meaning and
responses of brand.
The marketing research is also been performed as it is important for brand management that assist in
market determination and needs of the customer. The Marriott hotel should take the market investigation
for identifying demand for facilities and services of accommodation of the customers so that value and
brand equity can be maintained and enhanced.
Portfolio management, brand hierarchies and brand equity using appropriate theories, models
and frameworks (M3)
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