22 January 2018
The Provenance Chain: Uncovering the connection between provenance and sustainable growth
2018 IHG Trends Report demonstrates the competitive advantage derived from a powerful and authentic provenance which resonates with consumers.
Provenance is the foundation for enduring brand success and has become more important than ever for organisations wanting to succeed in today’s complex consumer environment. That is the finding of the 2018 Trends Report published today by IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group®) at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In the sixth edition of this annual report series, IHG reveals The Provenance Chain; five interconnected stages which provide a demonstrable link between provenance and sustainable growth.
As businesses increase their focus on strengthening their relationships with their customers, the report says that provenance can play a key role in reinforcing trust and credibility in the minds of customers. Provenance provides continuity and consistency in a fast-changing world and across the growing multitude of platforms through which customers engage with brands, and that builds trust, which is a key element of perceived value. Trust, in turn, creates preference over other equally-priced brands and increases customer loyalty.
IHG Chief Executive Officer, Keith Barr, commented: “In today’s uncertain and fragmented world, a brand’s provenance links its past, present and future, delivering an assurance of expertise, authenticity and authority that can deepen consumer trust. We believe provenance in a brand is an essential foundation for industry leadership and enduring success, which is why it is at the heart of IHG’s approach to our individual hotel and corporate brands. The 2018 IHG Trends Report brings to life a clear connection between a brand’s provenance and its ability to deliver sustainable growth.”
The report defines provenance as a brand’s consistent, relevant and distinctive heritage. However, while provenance has its roots in where a brand has come from, the report makes clear that it isn’t about preserving the past, but building on heritage as a foundation for the present and future.
Barr added: “Loyalty is extremely important to IHG. Our brands have been delivering True Hospitality to people around the world for over 70 years. Throughout that time, we have created deep-seated trust in our brands, building our reputation into the leading and truly global hotel business we are today. We want to build loyalty among guests, among franchisees and among employees. There are various ways in which we do this, including through our industry leading IHG® Rewards Club loyalty programme. But it is the provenance of both our individual brands and the IHG corporate brand which underpins everything and builds true trust and preference over generations.”
The Provenance Chain is the sixth IHG Trends Report, produced in association with IHG’s long-term partner Arcature, and through using its own research and observations, as well as a variety of third party sources. Previous reports have covered themes including Addressing Paradoxes of The Age of I, Meaningful Membership, Building Trust Capital, Creating Moments of Trust, and The New Kinship Economy. The full report can be found here: www.ihgplc.com/trendsreport
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For further information please contact:
Elena Phillipson
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+44 (0)1895 512 786
About IHG®
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, Holiday Inn Resort®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,300 hotels and more than 785,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with more than 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.
Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihgplc.com/media and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc.