Leo Burnett London checks in to Premier Inn

The UK’s biggest hotel company Premier Inn reveals the appointment of a new advertising agency.

In an announcement which follows the phased reopening of its hotels to the general public, Premier Inn is checking-in Leo Burnett London as its creative partner.

Leo Burnett was selected following a competitive pitch amongst a shortlist of agencies specially selected by the hotel company as mirroring its brand values.

The London-based agency will handle all aspects of the Premier Inn brand, from above the line advertising to activation and helping deliver a global brand approach in Germany.

Consistently voted among the UK’s best-loved hotels, Premier Inn already has a formidable brand presence – its iconic moon and stars logo and signature purple colour palette are instantly recognisable to the millions of guests who stay each year.

Leo Burnett, which represents businesses including McDonald’s and Vision Express, wowed Premier Inn by demonstrating an innate understanding of the hotel market and passion for the brand as well as offering a strategic look how the business can thrive in a changed post-Covid market. 

The Leo Burnett team really rose to the challenge of a ‘lockdown’ pitch process, which continued virtually over four months, impressing the Premier Inn team, despite meeting face-to-face just once.

The agency join Premier Inn at an exciting – and pivotal – time for the hotel company, which welcomed seasoned travel and leisure industry expert Tamara Strauss as Brand Marketing Director in back in the autumn.

The business is strengthening its presence internationally, with hotels opening apace in Germany, where it is soon set to be one of the country’s biggest budget hotel operators. 

It also continues to innovate as the UK’s leading budget hotel chain, including with the launch of its new Premier Plus rooms, its ‘best-ever’ pillows, new flexible room rates and its enhanced CleanProtect hygiene promise in response to Covid 19.

It is also no secret that it has been a challenging time for everyone in hospitality, and the appointment will also help reaffirm Premier Inn’s position as industry-leader at a time when hotels across the globe get back to business in the ‘new normal’.  

Brand Marketing Director Tamara Strauss commented: “Premier Inn is a truly iconic British brand and we are absolutely delighted to check-in Leo Burnett London at this important stage of our journey as we develop an integrated approach as we re-connect with our leisure and B2B customers as well our 35,000 team members who engage with our customers every day ”.  

Charlie Rudd, CEO, Leo Burnett: “Over the past few months some brands have been playing a lynchpin role in people’s lives. This is absolutely the case for Premier Inn which has been meeting people’s most fundamental needs supporting key workers, charities and community groups.  As the hospitality industry reopens its doors, the hotel brands that will win are the ones that embrace bold creativity and change.  We look forward to helping Premier Inn reconnect with its customers through populist creativity.”

Premier Inn is the latest win for Leo Burnett, which over the last year has also won McCormick, Iceland, AXA Global, and Vision Express.

Golin remain Premier Inn’s retained PR agency and UM its media buying agency.

Source: Leo Burnett

  Advertising, Agency, Charlie Rudd, Leo Burnett London, Premier Inn, Tamara Strauss