Quest Apartment Hotels’ local business owners will take centre stage as the global serviced apartment operator unveils its new brand platform being brought to market with a multi-million-dollar omni-channel campaign.

Named ‘As Local As You Like It’ and responding to consumer appetite for authentic local experiences, Quest will invite guests to check in and check out the heart of the local scene, with their key unlocking a wealth of local knowledge, thanks to the company’s network of owners who live and work in the communities they operate.

The new brand platform arrives ahead of an expected surge in domestic travel, as the hard-hit hotel industry welcomes a return to more normalised operations.

“The past 19 months have taken a great personal toll on individual business owners and their dedicated service staff in the Quest network, and I’m continually taken aback by the resilience that’s been demonstrated to date.”

“Despite the ongoing hardship, our purpose is to make corporate stay effortless. Our new brand platform which aims to build a stronger emotional connection with consumers is vital to its realisation”, said Managing Director of Ascott Australia (Quest Apartment Hotels), David Mansfield.

Chief Marketing Officer, Jeff Baars, said the new brand platform is the outcome of over 12 months of work involving extensive brand health and market research, which revealed white space within the sector in line with shifting consumer desires.

“What we know from our research is that guests value the effortless guest experience and consistency that big box hotel brands typically provide but relish the charisma and charm of boutique and independent operations where they feel like they’re able to authentically connect with the local soul. With that insight, we could see the opportunity within reach, and direction we ought to take to cultivate stronger brand preference.”

“Under the new campaign, we will connect our guests with the ‘never-would-have-knowns’; the esoteric gems that every destination has, if you just know where to look.”

“Our local business owners with skin in the game are our greatest asset. The new platform is about highlighting and building upon the personable, customer-centric approach we have always had, and making it the brand’s focal point.”

While the Quest logo will remain, the new platform developed by The Core Agency will see Quest refresh its brand identity and make several enhancements to the guest experience in line with evolved guest expectations.

Christian Finucane, Founder and Creative Partner at The Core Agency said, “Quest Apartment Hotels sit in the sweet spot between an independent accommodation rental and a hotel, so we needed a Core Idea that delivered on that. ‘As local as you like it’ beautifully reflects all the brand has to offer, with the flexibility to cover the individual personality of each apartment hotel - while showing the variety that’s given to guests when they choose a Quest.”

The brand platform will be launched to market with a campaign developed by The Core Agency, which includes a television commercial shot on the Gold Coast by production house ‘The Producers’. The shoot was managed remotely from Melbourne and Sydney throughout lockdown.

“Our new TV ad aims to depict the diversity of the Quest guest. While our core audience has always been the business traveller, that persona is not as linear as it once was, or at least was viewed and portrayed to be", said Jeff Baars.

“We have aimed to capture the variety and vibrancy of modern business travellers in the creative response, inviting them to connect with each locale as much or as little as they want, recognising that every guest is different.”

Full service global media agency, Initiative, which was awarded the Quest retainer in July 2021, devised the campaign’s media launch strategy in market from 24 October.

The campaign will run across metropolitan and regional free to air, subscription and catch-up television, outdoor, catch-up TV, TrueView, paid social, press, digital display and via content partnerships.

Sarah James, Managing Director of Initiative Melbourne, said the timing of the new Quest campaign could not be better as Australia’s two most populous states move out of lockdown. “We have worked closely with the Quest marketing team on a comprehensive understanding of our customers,” said James. “When the campaign breaks, we will also be constantly analysing customer behaviour and tweaking media usage as we work to keep Quest messaging in front of both businesspeople and holiday travellers.”

To support the guest experience evolution, Quest’s local know-how will also be shared on a new microsite where the local business owner will again be front and centre, so guests will only be a few clicks away from discovering the tried and trusted neighbourhood gems.

“The microsite is a great way for us to connect with guests before their stay and cultivate a sense of excitement about what’s possible, while also helping other local businesses by heroing their offerings.”

“Anyone who’s passionate about travel would agree that it’s the local insider tips that typically leave the biggest impression, and ‘As Local As You Like It’ is Quest’s platform to deliver exactly that to our end consumer.”

Earlier this year, Singaporean company The Ascott Limited (Ascott) completed its acquisition of franchise business Quest Apartment Hotels. Ascott is the world’s largest international serviced residence owner-operator.

Click here to check out the As Local As You Like It television commercial.

1-39.jpg