Hotel brands. Armani label ripped off.
FOXTROTS
Fox – sly. Trots – left-leaning (Trotsky) plus its more insalubrious meaning.
Foxtrots – leading the industry in a dance.
2008 September 17
Hotel brands. Armani label ripped off.
Following an initial agreement in 2004, fashion group Giorgio Armani and developer Emaar Hotels signed a contract in 2005 for the development of Armani Hotels & Resorts.
Due first was a 175-room Armani Q1 2008 in Dubai, homebase of Emaar, to be followed by “at least seven hotels and three resorts in the next 10 years”. After Dubai it was to be Milan, London, and New York, along with the first resort.
Now, Emaar has launched The Address as a brandname – yes – pitched at the top of the market. Due this year are two hotels in Dubai (and a third later). Others are planned – “…key cities and tourist destinations in the Middle East and North Africa, the Indian subcontinent, [rest of] Asia, Europe, and America [assumed North America] within the next 10 years”. Emaar says it already has “a significant footprint through mixed-use developments in central and strategic locales” in these places.
Cynicism comes easy:
[] As with Jumeirah, throw big-enough money and some progress will be made. But the field is getting crowded, and the public disinterested.
[] I think ‘The Address’ is a silly name for hotels, although with that Emaar is in good company – for instance, Hilton Hotels has ‘Waldorf=Astoria’, Starwood (Capital, not Starwood Hotels) has ‘1’ (that’s ‘one’), and Swire Hotels has ‘Opposite House’.
[] Emaar already plans “brand extensions” for its yet-to-start brand – Resort, Retreat, Urban, Business. But I am not quite sure how this can be implemented – The Address Urban Milan? The concept of brand extensions – I assume half a brand, half not – seems good but not for the public. Either it is a brand, or it is not; if it is not, don’t confuse the public.
[] Emaar suffers from delusions of grandeur. Its Vision 2010 calls for the company to become “one of the most valuable companies in the world”. I can confirm it has already achieved this, as have, by definition, all other companies. But if it wants to be, for instance, one of the 50 most valuable companies, then that might take more time.
The Fox
