Interview series "5 questions for..."
Bruno Marti, EVP Brand Marketing for 25hours Hotels and SO/ Hotels & Resorts at Ennismore, talks to us about the evolution of the travel and hospitality industry, the importance of authentic experiences and why social media is more of an opportunity than a challenge in the hotel industry. In our interview, he reveals which trends in design, service and marketing will shape the future and how Ennismore is turning guests from travelers into brand ambassadors. An inspiring insight into the world of modern hospitality - well worth reading for anyone who wants to shape the hotel industry of tomorrow!
Bruno Marti, EVP of Brand Marketing - 25hours and SO/
Brandcraft: Social media has revolutionized the way guests interact with and promote hotel brands. How do you view this shift in the hospitality industry and for Ennismore, or rather, the brands you manage?
Bruno Marti: Hospitality is a relatively old-fashioned industry. Margins are relatively small, investment cycles are quite long and the willingness to innovate is perhaps somewhat slowed down as a result. In the case of social media, however, we were ahead of other sectors for once. Tourism, hotels and restaurants were the first service sectors in which it became normal to leave reviews and engage directly with customers - long before we were talking about community management. Older readers may remember Foursquare or Facebook Places. What I'm trying to say is that there hasn't been a huge social media revolution for hospitality, but a very slow evolution with changing channels. Travel has always been dependent on word-of-mouth, whether this happens via a postcard or an Insta post doesn't really matter. And, we're lucky, travel almost always has a positive connotation, is easy to visualize and is associated with experiences or exoticism, so in my view there are almost only positive things for our industry in the development of social media.
Brandcraft: What changes do you anticipate in international hospitality marketing, and how is Ennismore preparing to meet the evolving needs of modern travelers?
Bruno Marti: In the hotel industry, a good product is still the best advertisement. Or to put it another way: the best marketing doesn't help with a mediocre product. Many of our marketing activities therefore relate directly to the service. What can be improved in the experience? Where are there still gaps in the guest journey and where can I create additional experiences on site? In the actual marketing, we are very keen to communicate the advantages of direct bookings to guests. This gives us more direct contact with the guest and a better chance of individualizing their stay.
"The reasonably well-traveled guest is immune to traditional marketing and we are not only living in an age of transparent customers, but also transparent products..."
Brandcraft: How do design and architecture shape the character of a hotel brand, and where do you see the trends for the coming years?
Bruno Marti: Phew, that's a big question. In the early days of the modern hotel industry - a good 100 years ago - architecture certainly set the style. The first grand hotels were built and were grand: Grand. I've only been in the industry for 25 years and that was the great age of design. At first it was product designers and designer furniture that shaped the hotel experience, then came the interior designers who created holistic concepts. At the moment, we are seeing that the setting is taking a back seat. Service and experience have clearly become the stronger USPs. And depending on the type of hotel, but definitely for the lifestyle hotel industry: the more individual the better.
25h Paper Island, Copenhagen
Brandcraft: From guest to loyal fan and brand ambassador—how do you make that happen? In your opinion, what are the key steps to building genuine, lasting connections with guests?
Bruno Marti: You have to be authentic. It sounds trite, but it's true. The reasonably well-traveled guest is immune to classic marketing and we are not only living in an age of transparent customers, but also transparent products. Especially in a people's business such as hospitality, the connection to the guest is made at the base, in the hotel. Brand communication is secondary.
Brandcraft: What “big trends” do you see shaping the hotel industry over the next five years? In which areas could Ennismore tap into exciting growth potential through acquisitions or even new in-house brands?
Bruno Marti: Three letters, E-S-G. It took a while, but hoteliers are slowly taking sustainability seriously. And customers are increasingly willing to pay a little more for it. I realize that I spend a lot more time on social and ecological issues today than I did at the beginning of my career. And that's a good thing. Where Ennismore can expand is difficult to say and depends on the opportunities in a manageable market. In 2024, the acquisition of Our Habitas could be communicated, a very contemporary product that promises luxury for the soul. The development of private labels is possible in principle, but not the priority, I would say. Ennismore stands for brands with an organic founding history.
Thank you very much for the interview and good luck for the future!
You can find more information about Ennismore at www.ennismore.com
25hours Hotels and SO/ Hotels & Resorts are part of Ennismore, a hospitality company rooted in culture and a creative network. The global collective is characterized by founding personalities and includes brands that focus on contemporary hospitality. Ennismore is a joint venture with Accor.