John Keells Hotels in Sri Lanka: Building Brand Architecture

In the summer of 2012, the president of the leisure sector of John Keells Hotels needed to discuss marketing strategies with his senior management team. The company was a well-known brand that operated Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts and Chaaya Hotels and Resorts in Sri Lanka and Maldives. Each of the two hotel brands catered to a different set of customers and offered different value propositions. After the terrorist conflict that had plagued Sri Lanka for 26 years had come to a dramatic close in May 2009, an influx of tourists was expected from both Western and Asian countries. The company had a great opportunity to strengthen its two hotel brands and capitalize on the growing global tourism market. Of the two hotel chains, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts was the portfolio's luxury brand, whereas Chaaya Hotels and Resorts was the economy brand. The senior management team needed to design a brand architecture for the company that would offer a sound business solution and help the company's hotel sector find its rightful place in the global arena.

This case is suitable for a core marketing management course in a graduate-level program. The case highlights the concepts of brand architecture and brand design. It could also be used in a course on brand management or marketing in the hospitality sector. The primary focus of the case is to understand the various brand architecture frameworks, and to examine why the decision of which architecture to adopt is critical to positioning and equity leverage. The case can also be used to highlight the importance of brand design for the successful implementation of a brand architecture strategy. After completion of the case, students will be able to<ul><li>discuss the importance of brand architecture planning to long-term business success;</li><li>evaluate the merits and drawbacks of various brand architecture models;</li><li>describe the stakeholder approach to building brand architecture; and</li><li>recognize the importance of communicating brand architecture through brand design.</li></ul>

• brand, brand architecture, brand design