Wyndham’s goal is to reposition the Howard Johnson brand starting with the implementation of some of the measures at test locations in the U.S. next year.

　　Earlier this month Wyndham Hotel Group, Parsippany, New Jersey, unveiled a comprehensive refresh for its Howard Johnson brand including a new logo, exterior and interior designs, case goods, brand signature amenities and service training initiatives.

　　Wyndham’s goal is to reposition the brand starting with the implementation of some of the measures at test locations in the U.S. next year.

　　The unveiling was the result of years of research and conceptualization. To find out more about how Wyndham decided on this new look for the historic brand, we spoke with John Valletta, president of the Super 8 and Howard Johnson brands, at the Wyndham Hotel Group 2013 Global Conference held recently in Las Vegas.

　　How did Wyndham decide on this look for the brand?

　　John Valletta: It was a four-year process. The first 18 months was taken up by agency research with PwC and Hornall Anderson brought in. We extensively dived into what the brand was, what it is now and what we could do to make it back into what it was, in terms of its success. We knew that we had a successful mid-market brand many years ago, and the newer brand was now an economy lodging player.

　　The research found great equity in the name, good feelings people had associated with the name and good memories from staying at Howard Johnsons and that is what we were trying to capture in the design, logo and yet-to-be defined nuances like operating standards and specific service standards for the brand.

　　What customer response are you going for with the new logo?

　　Valletta: Orange is a great color for feeling good. It’s not a depressing color, it’s a fun color. Other brands are using orange but Howard Johnson has owned orange for 60 years.

　　In his presentation on Tuesday, Wyndham Hotel Group CEO and President Eric Danziger mentioned that the new logo should remind people of ice cream.

　　Valletta: Ice cream is a historic part of the brand that people remember. We are going to incorporate ice cream with the front desk — we’re not sure how, our franchisees will help us to do that. We’re going to rely so much on input from them and our customers.

　　What motivated the choices behind the new interior design?

　　Valletta: We knew what we didn’t want to be. There is this sea of sameness in that price segment and we wanted to be sure we weren’t drowning in that sea. We wanted it to be little different, a little bit edgier but not boutique. We wanted it to be relatable to a wider audience, so it would have wide appeal.

　　Will this repositioning of the brand be reflected in ADR?

　　Valletta: We have to assume so, yes.

　　How many of the franchisees do you anticipate making the switch?

　　Valletta: This might not be for everybody. As we announced, we anticipate this to be a five to seven year transition for the brand into a new segment, and during that time if someone decides they would be better suited for one of our other brands, then that is one of the beauties of Wyndham with its many brands. We have Super 8, we have Travelodge and other brands people can consider, but our goal is we want everybody to feel they have a shot.