The Protea Group is repositioning and lifting its brand image with the opening of new, cutting-edge designer hotels, says new group marketing and advertising manager, Nicholas Barenblatt.
 
He says newly opened additions to Protea’s superior de-luxe African Pride brand – the Crystal Towers and 15 on Orange Hotel in Cape Town where developers have spent hundreds of millions of rands on latest design features – are already resulting in a huge brand upliftment for the group. Although three-star, Protea Hotel Fire & Ice Melrose Arch opening in Johannesburg later this month will continue this design-sharp trend. “These hotels are taking the brand to a whole new level of standard,” Barenblatt explains.
 
Protea’s brand repositioning has been one of the major focus areas for Barenblatt since he took over as marketing manager from industry stalwart, Allan Duke, at the beginning of this year. “In the past we took existing products and brought them up to scratch but now we have the opportunity to bring in new hotels which results in the Protea brand image being uplifted. Of course there is still room for older hotels in the Protea stable. We need a spread of brand in this recession and we’re keeping our eyes peeled for existing products,” he says.
 
Internationally, Protea is positioning African Pride as South Africa’s only home-grown luxury hotel brand with critical mass. “Luxury is no longer a rarity. We have to differentiate our products.” He says African Pride’s new international positioning responds to demands for exclusivity and personalised service from a young and wealthy clientele in emerging markets such as Russia, India, China and Scandinavia.
 
The company recently appointed two UK GSAs to handle all marketing for Protea Hotels and African Pride in the UK and Europe.  It is engaging in public relations and (for the first time in 20 years) above-the-line advertising in consumer and travel trade media; participating in travel trade shows in emerging markets; and working with South African Tourism and South African Airways to allow key clients to experience the hotels. Focus is also on the domestic corporate (group & conference) and government markets.