1) The document summarizes and analyzes aspects of the brand identities and strategies of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts and Como Hotels and Resorts. It discusses elements like brand names, logos, visual styles, word choices, visions, missions, cultures, products/services, and target customers. 2) Key aspects of the Rosewood brand identity highlighted include its use of rosewood wood and Gothic visual style to create a luxurious, classic, and mysterious impression. Como's brand identity emphasizes natural scenery in its visuals and simplicity in its communications to portray relaxation. 3) The analysis provides some suggestions, such as for Rosewood to improve its Chinese website and for Como to refine its brand promise

1. HTMG 4532 Brand ManagementinHospitality
Brandy WANGYuqi (1155031779)
MS DEBORA CHATWIN
9 March 2015
Session1
1. A brand’sidentity consistsof visual andverbal expressions,behavior(service,operating
principles)andproductsorservices.
1) The role of the brand’slanguage isto communicate core principlesandmessagessothat
everytime customerscome intocontactwiththe brandtheyreceive acohesive
impressionaboutthe brand.
2) The Tone of Voice of a companyhelpsbothitsinternal andexternal customerstofeel a
brand’s personality.
3) Verbal expressionisintegral toabrand’sidentity.Whatyousayand how you say itcan
be just as recognizableasyourfontsand imagerystyle andbe a competitiveadvantage if
done rightand done withconsistency.
4) A brand isjudged,lovedorloathedforitsbehaviorconstitutingthe collective and
individualactionsof the people whorepresentthe brand.70% of customerbrand
perceptionisdeterminedbyexperienceswith“people”.
5) A brand’sbehavioror actions of seekingfeedbackhelpstounderstandandappeal to
customerneeds,wantsanddemands,segmentingthe audience andtailoringmessages
accordingto theirhot buttons,butremaintrue to whatour brand standsfor.
2. 1) A brand’s positioningisthe leadthoughtorbiggestimpressionthatwe wantstakeholders
to holdintheirmindsaboutour organization. Whilethe visionisthe ideal thatourcompany
strivestobecome. The vision,purpose,andvaluesare distilledintoapositioning,whichisa
concise statementof whatwe standfor.
2) Visionisfromthe pointof view (POV) of the organizationaboutwhatitwantstoachieve
whereasbrandpositioningisfromthe POV of the customer.
3. Products/service,purposeandbrandpersonality.Alignedbrandpromisewouldhelpabrand
to differentiate,guaranteequalityquality,sustainlong-termdemand,reduce marketing
expenditure,attractand retainthe beststaff andpromote investment.
4. 1) Engagedemployeesleadtobetterbusinessoutcomes.AccordingtoTowersPerrin
research,companieswithengagedworkershave 6% highernetprofitmargins,and
accordingto Kenexaresearch,engagedcompanieshave 5timeshighershareholderreturns
over5 years.
2) Engagement-ProfitChain:Engagedemployeesleadto…higherservice,quality,and
productivity,whichleadsto…highercustomersatisfaction,whichleadsto…increasedsales,
whichleadsto…higherlevelsof profit,whichleadsto…highershareholderreturns.

2. 3) Employee BrandEngagementisthe creationof intellectual connectionandemotional
commitmenttomotivate anddirectbehaviorchange.Itgoesfromattractingtalentsto
retainingandgrowingtalentsonce onboard.
5. A brand’svisual expressionincludes the colorpaletteadthe imagerystyle,like the logomark
and the designsystem.
6. We express ourbrandpersonalitycomingthroughinourwrittenandoral communications.
The Tone of Voice,whichconsistsof the wordswe choose,whatwe sayand how we say it
reflectsourbrand’spersonalityandappealstothe targetaudience.
7. Speakingasa whole,ChinaismostlikelysittingbetweenWave 3(a destination) andWave 4
(a signifier).Butthe Chinese travellingoverseashave definitelycaughtthe fourthwave –
selectingthose brandsthatconferstatus,braggingrightsandvalidate theirownsense of
identity.
8. 1) WestinHotels&Resortsownsthe touchpointof its HeavenlyBed.Theybegunthe first
retail beddingoperationof anyhotel chain,sellingthe Heavenly Bedonitswebsite.
2) Hotel CostesinParisownsthe touch pointsof itsmusic.TheysellsCDmixes
commissionedandproducedbyhouse DJs.
3) Hotel Indigohave investedheavilyinessentialstothe businesstravelersuchasan
oversizedbed,spa-style shower,wide-openfoyer,deskwithwirelessbroadband,leftingout
unnecessaryfrillssuchasthe bathtub,large wardrobe andcouch.
4) Como Shambalaownsthe touchpoints of spa experience whichisintegratedintotheir
brand identity.
9. By sayingInternetasan equalizerBrianSolisindicatesasignificantrise of consumerpower,by
supportingandextendingconsumerobservations,complaints,opinions,referralsand
recommendations.
Organizationshouldbecomesocial business.Connectingandconversingvia socal mediatotest
concepts,solicitfeedbackandvalidate ideasthrough“collaborativeinfluence”canhelptoaccelerate
product/service innovations.
WithInternetcompaniescanalsodevelopdirectcustomerrelationshipandconductprecise and
personalizedadvertising.
10. 1) To gather information:consumershave easyaccesstoinformationthroughwebsitesand
social media.
2) Online booking:consumerscandirectlybookflights,rooms,attractionticketsand/or
packages.
3) Mobile apps:consumerscan downloadordelete brandappsforfunctionsandjourney
enrichments.

3. Session2
Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
Brand name:Rosewoodisatype of richlyhuedtimbers.Itgrowsslowlythereforeintense and
fragrant.Used inmanufacturingGuitars,marimbas, tumeries,furniture andluxuryfloorings,
rosewood hasbeen highlyappreciatedfromMiddleAgesandnow itisscarce and expensive.All
these associationscreate aluxurious,classicandmysteriousimpression of the brandname
Rosewood.
Fonts:The fonts itusesinLogo and website contentsare thinwithpreciselytwistedandemphasized
at the end,whichismagnificentwhile aloof.
Color:The website adopts the colortone of BlackandWhite exceptforthe last2 out of 7 columns
(the number7 isregarded as the most mysterious,charmingandmagical number) toeliminate
emotionsandcreate a sense of distance orobjectiveness betweenthe picturesandobservers. It
feelslike afrozentime inanoldsilentmovie.
Picturesand Style:
The contentof the picturesare mainlyin-door(exclusive),whichtraditionally-fashionedpeople
enjoyingsocializingand/orcultural-emerging. Itrevealsafullyemerge andenjoymentof local
communityandculture. Generallyspeakingwe maydescribe itasin Gothicstyle, fromthe hollowed-
out andlacedmasks,frilleddecorationsandlightfromthe backinthe first7 pictures.Generally the
Gothic style appealswith asense of classic,old-aged,mysterious andelegant,whichisalignedwith
the brand positioning“asense of place“.
Wordings:Inthe firstcolumn“A Sense of“,Rosewooddisplaysplaceswiththe describingwords
like ”hidden”“gildeddream”“soul searching“,whichishighlyimaginaryandspiritual.The
Characteristicsof theirwordingsare:
1. Deepreflection,contemplationandrumination
2. Fancy andidealistic.
3. Classical,traditional,artificial,well-designed/decorated, elegant
4. Twistedintelligence asthe sustainabilityVERDES(whichmeansGreensinSpanish):Value the
Earth’s ResourcesandDemonstrate Environmental Sensitivity.
Vision:Fulfillthe dreamsof ouremployees,guestsandowners.
Mission:To be recognizedandrespectedasthe consummate operatorof ultra-luxuryhotelsin
desirable destinationsthroughoutthe world.
Culture:Rosewooddefinesthe core of its culture is“relationshiphospitality”,supportedby8
principlesof Family,Community,Respect,Humility,Integrity,Learning,OwnershipandCelebration.
It revealscustomer-centeredvalue andthe spiritof serving.Noteworthyisthe Celebrationprinciple
revealsaphilosophyof highself-esteemwithinRosewood.
Productand Services: Uponestablishment,Rosewoodhasaimeditself tocreate luxurious,
residential-style hotelsthatofferunparalleledattentiontodetail andexceptional personalized

4. service. Today,the Rosewoodcollectionencompasses18 iconichotels andresortsinseven
countries—singularpropertiesthateachofferauniquelyauthenticexperience inspired,craftedand
deliveredunderthe Rosewoodguidingprinciple. Forall of theirdistinctive qualities,Rosewood
hotelsandresortsshare the belief thateleganttravel,whetherforbusinessorpleasure,shouldbe
itsown reward.Itis a luxury,anescape fromthe cares of everydaylife,anopportunitytoexperience
a level of personal attention andcomfortthatexceedsexpectations.
Grouping:Rosewoodgroupsitshotelsincontinents,whichshowsavastexpansionof the brand
group.
Bookingclicks:onlyone clickatthe rightup cornerthe usercan getaccess to a neat two-month
calendarforcheckingavailability.Onthe leftthe 4columnsof hotel options,stayingperiodguest
numbers,andspecial code clearlystated,whichisveryuser-friendly.
Customers:upperclass,goodtaste,well-educated,elegantandromanticpeoplewhoseekssuperior
experience derivedfromlocal culture.
Customerinteraction:Rosewoodencourage customerinteractionsbyallocatingcolumnoptionson
the top, displayinghighlyvisualizedflippingsignsandlinks.The social mediasharingandcontact
informationisathand.
Languages:EnglishandSimplifiedChinese websitesare available.However,Rosewoodhasmade an
unforgivableMISTAKEthat it isactually half EnglishintheirChinesewebsiteasshownbelow:
Starwoodhave to run theirChinese website more sincerelytoearna huge growingnumberof
Chinese customers.

5. Como Hotels and Resorts
Brand Name andFonts: Comomeans“like,suchas”in Spanish,whichindicatespossibilities,
metaphorsandequalization.The logoisroundandthin,like 4 connectedballoons.Withastagger
colorof dark brownand grey, COMO revealsadignifiedandmodern style. The fontsforcontentare
Calibri whichiscommon,neat,concise andpractical,whichalsoappealstomodernandluxury
business world.
Spacious Pictures:Comomaximizes the space in the webpage forhuge rollingpictures,withatiny
bar at the bottom.The eyeswill firstlyexpandcomfortablyandthenmove tothe right-bottomto
see a floatingline “Yourhome fromhome.”The brandpromise “A secondhome”hasa significant
character that belongstothe secondwave of hotels.Aswe are enteringthe fourthwave,itis
suggestedtoCOMO that theycome upwitha more experience andrelationshiporientedstatement
of brandpromise.
The contentsof the pictures:There reservesalotspace of natural sceneriesinthe coverpictures,
whichrevealsaphilosophyof aharmoniouscombinationof humanityandnature,suggestinga
relaxedandpeaceful mindstayingwithCOMOnomatterin the downtownorremote islands.
For a specifichotel COMOshowsmore andthe interiordesignandfacilitates,withfew people,
whichcreatesa feelingof beingmore spaciousandexclusive, andwhichmayoutof a concern of
demographical representativeness.
Wordings:The introductionsanddescriptionsinCOMO’swebsite are simple,direct,easyto
understand,makingitefficientincommunicationthe core meaning.
Vision,missionandcore value:There isnodirectintroductionaboutthe whole COMOgroupwhich
iscommon statedoncompanywebsites.Thisisdisappointingif COMOdon’ttake theirbrand
promise andcompanyculture seriously. “COMOHotelsandResortsseekstotransformpeople's
perceptionof whattravel canbe.We do thisby treatingeverypersonasanindividual,withgrace,
attentionandrespect. “ Thisline of philosophyisonlyunderCareers.Itishighlyrecommendedthat
COMO shouldhave a column“AboutUs” to introduce the company’shistory,vision,missionand
core valuessoas to deliveraclearbrand promise andestablishbrandequity.
Productsand services: HeadquarteredinSingapore,the COMOGroupoffersluxurywitha deep
respectforauthenticity. COMOHotelsandResortsoffersluxurytravelexperienceswithpersonalised
service inelegantproperties,eachindividuallycuratedtoreflectitslocation.COMOShambhala
providesthe wellnesscomponentwithineachCOMOproperty,throughfacilities,treatments,
instruction,productsand itssignature healthful cuisine,owning these touchpointswhichis
integratedintotheirbrandidentity.
Color:The maincoloris greyand brown,which eliminatesemotionsandcreatesdistance, creatinga
feelingof exclusivenessorsolitude.
Grouping:Comogroupsits hotelsandresortsinto4 categoriesof Urban Hotels,IslandResorts,
Adventure Retreats,WellnessResorts.Itreveal sadiversityof the hotels’positioning.

6. Bookingclicks:onlyone clickatthe rightdown corner the usercan get accessto a neat two-month
calendarforchecking availability.Onthe leftthe 5columnsof hotel options,stayingperiodguest
numbers,andspecial code clearlystated,whichisveryuser-friendly.
Customers:Modern,efficient,direct,independentbusinessmanandwomen whowantsauthentic
comfortsand relax.
Customerinteraction: Huge picturestake upthe majorityof space,throughwhichusersare only
informationreceiverspassivelyoreven be overwhelmedandbe “forced”tosee the huge pictures.
The columnsare down beneathwithtoosmall letters,soitisdifficultfor browserstointeractwith
Comothroughtheirwebsite.ItissuggestedthatComoenlarge the lettersinsteadof
Languages:OnlyEnglishwebsite isavailable.WithaheadquarterinSingapore Comomayconsider
providingbothSimplifiedandTraditional ChinesewebsiteforgrowingChinese market,andmaybe
more otherlanguageswouldbe asurplus.
References:
http://www.rosewoodhotels.com
http://www.comohotels.com/
http://www.hospitalityonline.com/employers/205630
http://www.hospitalityonline.com/employers/255700