HERtels: Women Hotel Ownership Program
Introduction
Choice Hotels has long recognized the underrepresentation of women in hotel ownership. More than 20 years ago, the company launched an initiative to help women break into hotel ownership, but in 2022, they took it a step further. The program was branded as HERtels, giving it a distinct identity that could be marketed more effectively and gain the traction it deserves.
Challenge
The challenge was to develop a branded look and feel along with a tone of voice that was both feminine and professional, powerful yet approachable. The program needed to be connected to the Choice Hotels brand while still standing on its own as a women-focused hospitality program. Additionally, it was crucial to avoid traditional feminine clichés, ensuring the brand felt authentic and inclusive to women entrepreneurs in the hotel industry.
Solution
When developing HERtels branding and communications, NM+U created a distinct yet complementary identity that aligned with Choice Hotels’ mission while maintaining its own unique positioning. The visual identity and messaging were designed to reflect women’s leadership in hospitality, balancing strength, inclusivity, and professionalism. The result was a hospitality branding strategy that felt modern, empowering, and distinctly HERtels—an initiative built to help more women become hotel owners.
HERtels: Program Overview
HERtels: Collateral
HERtels: Swag + Giveaways
