InterContinental Hotels Group’s 74MM+ loyalty program members made up nearly 40% of total rooms revenue globally, but IHG had long been a behind-the-scenes parent company brand. In 2013, they set out to become a customer-facing brand, knitting together their portfolio under the IHG name to raise awareness about and drive cross sell among the family of brands. As part of this effort, they changed the name of the world’s first and largest loyalty program from Priority Club Rewards to IHG® Rewards Club. 

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Our role was to develop the program positioning, advise on benefit updates - including convincing them to be the first hotel company to offer free internet to members, and  execute a global launch, adopting a new black, white and orange visual identity developed by Landor. We conducted interviews with 19 international stakeholders - inside the company as well as with heads of owners groups, conducted desk research and reviewed loads of existing IHG studies and audits, workshopped multiple positioning territories, and got consensus around a great one rooted in transparency and advocacy.

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We orchestrated the global launch in 13 languages over the course of 2013:

• Q1 pre-announcement: engage owners and corporate employees

• 26 March announcement: educate press and consumers

• Q2 pre-go live: educate consumers and engage stakeholders

• 1 July go live: launch new benefits and cut over materials

• Q3-Q4 post-go live: member engagement & cross sell, non member awareness.

The results:

• $22.8B in FY2014 gross revenue, up 6% YOY, $651M operating profit

• Over 6.2 million web impressions

• 4MM emails to active members, >40% open rate; highest ever 

• Over 750 pieces of positive coverage, including: WSJ, USA Today, CNBC, CNN

• Over 15.5M guests & members exposed to in-hotel POS

• Over 300,000 frequent travelers exposed via print advertising

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