Boutique hotel guide Mr & Mrs Smith launches three new brands

26 September 2012 by
Boutique hotel guide Mr & Mrs Smith launches three new brands

Boutique and luxury hotel guide Mr & Mrs Smith has extended its target audiences with the launch of three new brands: Smith & Family, Smith & Friends and Smith & Co.

Aimed at three markets - families, groups and business travellers - the new brands sit alongside the original Mr & Mrs Smith concept, which targets couples, under a new parent brand: Smith Collections.

Co-founder James Lohan said: "We had always planned to extend our service beyond romantic breaks to include offerings for families, groups and business travellers.

"But we had struggled to find a way of adding these new types of property without damaging what the Mr & Mrs Smith brand stood for: a sexy, flirtatious brand aimed at couples.

"We have had a lot of fun building a cheeky tone of voice with a hint of innuendo - which feels very wrong when selling holidays to families or accommodation to business travellers."

Mr & Mrs Smith worked with brand consultancy Goosebumps on the new concepts. Its founder, Simon Cotterrell, explained the process: "The Smith brand is based on a very simple principle. It's all about leaving nothing to chance, guaranteeing the perfect hotel experience, for people who don't have the time or the patience to get it wrong," he said.

"When James started the company, it was the result of his difficulty finding the perfect hotel to help him woo his co-founder (now wife), Tamara. That desire for perfection is a value that can go way beyond couples.

"As any parent will tell you, finding hotels that cater for children while allowing parents to have some well-earned pampering time is no easy task. So although the motivations are different, the desire to find the perfect hotel experience is exactly the same."

The new umbrella website, smithcollections.com, is now live and the group will be rolling out the three new sub-brands over the coming months, starting with Smith & Family.

Lohan said: "Moving into different categories is not something that can be done overnight. We have to recruit and review new hotels, negotiate different revenue models and develop very different styles of communication through new channels".

By Janie Manzoori-Stamford

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