Kimpton Hotels Goes Public with Their Bike-Loving Brand
Posted in Work
Bikes are booming. It’s easy to see why: they’re fun, green, healthy, stylish, and even practical - the U.S. Census bureau says bike commuting’s increased by 36% since 2005.
Kimpton Hotels, ahead of this trend as they have been so many others, have often offered guests complimentary loaner bikes. But their brand-wide commitment to two-wheelers kicked into high gear through a new partnership with PUBLIC Bikes.
As part of ongoing branding strategy efforts with Kimpton, FINE helped shape the bike program into something more than just enlightened transportation – it’s an exceptional brand touchpoint, symbolizing the values of fitness, lifestyle, design, and the environment that Kimpton’s always embraced.
The first step was selecting a bike partner with the design sensibility, irreverence, and style to pull off custom bikes worthy of any Kimpton lobby. As PUBLIC bikes have materialized in Kimpton hotel lobbies, so has a campaign of web promotion, on-site signage, advertising, keycards, and other elements. Custom photography and messaging revolves around the all-too-healthy attachment Kimpton customers develop with Kimpton’s PUBLIC bikes.
Kimpton further builds on the bike experience with formal and informal tours, gourmet picnic basket lunches, and other adventures that put a spin on the average hotel stay.
As the growing digital mindset leads marketers to embrace terms like “user experience” and “customer decision journey”, Kimpton’s PUBLIC bike rollout shows how a decidedly analog journey through streets and parks makes for a revolutionary brand experience.
