News Phillips+Co. is excited to share the announcement of AVIA, a new hotel brand debuting in 2008. Phillips+Co. led the concepting, experience design and naming for AVIA Hotels. AVIA is a new boutique hotel collection that will put a fresh new face on the hospitality industry’s most inventive and popular genre. Evoking the inviting ambiance of a cocktail party thrown by a gracious local host, AVIA will surround guests with imaginative design and samplings of authentic food and wine pairings. "Hosts" (a new role invented for AVIA) will share local lore, pulling strings to help guests explore under-the-radar restaurants and the hottest shopping spots. The AVIA hotel collection will debut in cities including Napa, CA and Savannah, GA in 2008. From Brief to Brand in 12 Months In Summer 2006, veteran hotelier LodgeWorks asked Phillips+Co. to help develop a new brand from scratch. But how could a veteran "extended-stay" hotel developer transform itself to authentically play in the upscale boutique segment? To find the answer, we led the development of a landscape of insights and inspiration, uncovering surprising perspectives about their existing service culture, and identifying a set of "opportunity spaces" for brand development. Within months, we'd selected an unusual target customer: "Questers" - sophisticated upscale travelers who actively seek out impactful new experiences. Ideating the New Brand Experience We then turned to developing a 360 degree brand experience. In working sessions with LodgeWorks, we developed the brand essence, "The Art of Living Well" which will come to life in countless ways, from locally-curated food and wine selections in each suite to connections with the local community that plug guests into a city-wide range of experiences. The brand essence is embodied in the hotel's name, AVIA (selected from just over 1,000 names). Inventing a Brand, Shifting a Company Perhaps the most powerful innovation related to LodgeWorks' culture. Through a year of collaborative workshops, summits and experience tours, Phillips+Co. and LodgeWorks' VP of Marketing helped shift a veteran extended-stay culture into one ready to enter the upscale boutique segment with a bold new point of view. This required not only new ideas, but finding innovative ways to leverage LodgeWorks' unique competitive strengths in a new emerging segment. We congratulate LodgeWorks on the announcement of AVIA Hotels. Learn more: www.aviahotels.com About Phillips+Co. Phillips+Co. is a breakthrough strategy consultancy. The firm helps clients develop innovative concepts for new products, services and brands. From new packaged foods and telecom services to hospitality and household goods, Phillips+Co. offers a process that unites insight, ideation and strategy to develop bold new offerings. Back to News