Issue
When I joined Premier Inn, the brand ranked highly for awareness and value, yet differentiation remained largely price-led. To evolve from well-known to most loved, it needed deeper emotional relevance.

The challenge was to reposition Premier Inn beyond functional accommodation and embed it within the meaningful moments behind every journey.

Insight
A hotel stay is rarely the destination – it is the beginning of something bigger. Whether travelling for work, sport or family, guests are motivated by purpose, not price alone.

By recognising that Premier Inn supports life’s important moments, we identified an opportunity to build emotional connection while retaining value credibility.

Idea
Working closely with Lucky Generals and the in-house studio, I helped shape and facilitate the development of “A Great Place to Start.”

The campaign positioned Premier Inn as the launch point for meaningful experiences, using emotionally rich storytelling across business, leisure and family travel.

I supported the translation of the platform across ATL, TTL and CRM activity. A weekly email series extended the narrative beyond price-led messaging, reinforcing that Premier Inn enables experiences, not just overnight stays. “Start” became a strategic anchor across the customer journey.

Impact
The campaign marked a defining shift in Premier Inn’s brand positioning, accelerating its evolution from price-led accommodation to emotionally connected travel companion.

The initial TTL campaign drove a 21% increase in revenue, while integrated CRM activity delivered a 35% uplift in bookings and a 15.5% increase in engagement.

“A Great Place to Start” ignited sustained brand momentum, strengthening equity and catalysing the next phase of growth.