IBIS-cover-image

Ensuring relevance and engagement with business traveller audience

IBIS

1

CONCEPT NAME

3

CREATIVE ROUTES

MULTIPLE

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Ibis Hotels launches new unique concept for business cardholders

International (English)
  • Enhance

Context

Ibis Hotels planned to launch a new initiative within a selection of hotels for their international business customers. Prior to a full launch, the brand ran the concept in their home market, France. The subsequent global roll-out required creating a concept name in English. To date, a Paris-based agency’s English language suggestions hadn’t successfully recreated the original French brief and concept so the Ibis teams called upon Creative Culture’s expertise.

Challenge

The activation concept to be executed was a bespoke offering and unique experience. Ibis Hotels offered to produce bespoke shirts made out of Ibis bedsheets for business cardholder customers. The concept showcased the quality and comfort of Ibis hotel beds, as well as the special care Ibis ensures their business cardholders receive.

The concept in French was “Dans de beaux draps”, which when translated literally means “In beautiful bedsheets”– but it also refers to a well-known French expression related to being in a sticky situation. The sense of humour is well understood in French and is very idiomatic, which was part of the challenge on this project.

Ibis consulted Creative Culture to create a strong expression or name in English that would be as playful as the French original but would still be understood by international, non-native English audiences. The creative route Ibis was presented with to date was around “Sleep Walkers”. However, this did not convey the original concept and was confusing and inappropriate.

Solution

Creative Culture worked with a team of two native English copywriters (American and British) with excellent knowledge of the French language and culture to come up with alternative options that would meet the brief. Following creative development three shortlisted approaches were developed and presented to the client for testing and selection.

Results

After further brainstorming with the Ibis brand team, Creative Culture produced a winning concept name in English, Dream Apparel, accessible to all non-native English audiences that kept true to the same tone of voice and effect as the initial concept.

Creative Culture – delivering relevant and engaging communications solutions to global brands

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