Delivering the message

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the ways in which premium hotel brands address the challenge of building and sustaining their value proposition and communicating the essence of this value to their customers. Design/methodology/approach – The article draws on commercial market research, published information sources and industry experience to identify the key issues that impact on the effectiveness of marketing communications. Findings – The conclusion is that luxury hotel chains have worked hard to improve the effectiveness of brand management but that several key factors (such as market insight, differentiation, relative uniqueness) influence the long‐term effectiveness of the brand management approach. Research limitations/implications – Practical measures for improving brand management practices are identified and explained. Practical implications – The key success factors are explained, with suggestions for implementation. Originality/value – The paper draws on consulting experience and contains analysis and practical suggestions that are especially relevant to practitioners.