The Future of Travel
How might the experience of economy travel be reinvigorated?
Challenge
How might Super 8 differentiate itself from its competition?
How might we think, work and serve the customer differently?
How might we create experiences that are memorable and true to the brand?
Role: Design & Strategy Lead
Client: Wyndham Hotels Group
Project: Design Research, Storytelling, Innovation Strategy, Experience Concept and Design
Research Methods: Expert interviews, immersions, observations, ethnographic interviews, customer interceptions, ideation workshops
Created a field guide for the team to guide interviews and observations
We intercepted franchisees and guests to learn about their experiences
Immersion
We went on the road with our team of designers, strategists, and clients. We intercepted guests, hung out with franchisees and learned about what made guests tick and what kept franchisees up at night.
“Franchisees are the champions of experiences, not obstacles. They just need a little help.”
“Embrace the fact that travelers see Super8 as a pit stop, not a hotel. ”
The Super8 story was created from the insight of embracing the hotel as an enabler of road trips
Created workshop stimuli from interviews with out-of-category experts
Workshop stimuli
In order to shift the conversation from selling rooms to building experiences, we went to talk to experts from unexpected places and industries.
Facilitated 8 Ideation workshops
Ideation workshop
With the brand positioning in mind, we co-created and encouraged healthy collision with everyone from the group CMO to Super8 franchisees to come up with hundreds of ideas.
Envisioning of Super8 ideas
S8 Mobile Fleet
Embracing the adventurous spirit of being on the road, we created our own Super8 Mobile Fleet to travel to music festivals and events all over the country.
Odd-hour check-in
Because road-trippers are spontaneous and often arrive at odd hours, we chopped the check-in time into three 8-hour shifts. Travelers can check in at the automated counter at any hour, and pay for their stay by shift.