THE IHG OWNERS ASSOCIATION

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE — A HOLIDAY INN?

The Owners Association represents owners of IHG-brand hotels (including Holiday Inn & Crowne Plaza) worldwide. When they were still known as the IAHI, they stole our account executive Chris Lambert — who then promptly hired us to help her develop a consistent voice and visual brand for the group's communications to its members.

As a dues-paid association, its central focus is providing perks, services and advocacy support that benefit its members (many of whom are notoriously tight-fisted) well above and beyond the cost of membership.

Rebranding The Association

In 2011, the IAHI (International Association of Holiday Inns) decided to rebrand as The IHG Owners Association — in recognition of the fact that the group represented several non-Holiday Inn brands. We re-designed their logo, then developed a comprehensive visual identity system and messaging strategy to reflect the new brand.

THE NEW LOGO: BACKGROUND
For several years, the IAHI had used a logo incorporating a literal globe image.

Given the leverage they’d built-up in that identity, we felt they shouldn’t throw-out the proverbial baby with the bathwater. Instead, given their mission, we recommended developing an iconic globe image incorporating human-form outlines in place of land masses. Chris liked the idea, and added a key idea of her own: For one of the people / land-masses, we should use the profile of Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson.

TEST GROUP REACTIONS TO THE LOGO

On at least two separate occasions, when Chris revealed the new logo to test groups, their initial comments went in exactly this order:

“Well, I can tell it’s a globe, but I don’t recognize the continents.”

”Wait a minute, those are people.”

”And hey, the person on the left…That’s Kemmons Wilson, isn’t it?”