HB ON THE SCENE: Choice Hotels Unveils New Comfort Logo to Unify Comfort Brands

LAS VEGAS—Choice Hotels unveiled a new logo for its Comfort brand at its 64th annual convention, held this week at Mandalay Bay’s convention center.

“This redesigned logo serves as a beacon for the new Comfort,” said Anne Smith, VP of brand management and design at Choice, to a ballroom of more than 6,500 attendees—made up of Choice staff, hotel staff and franchisees. “It’s more than a change of symbol, it’s a symbol of change.”

Last year, brand executives reviewed research and learned many guests felt disconnected with the old Comfort logo. For instance, many guests claimed the logo was outdated. To give the brand’s transformation an extra push, Comfort decided to invest in a new logo to unify Comfort Inn, Comfort Inn & Suites, and Comfort Suites under one umbrella—one family with a shared symbol.

New York-based brand consulting and design agency Landor designed the new logo—which features vivid orange and yellow hues, and a rich blue—to reflect the “brand’s warm and welcoming heritage and its refreshed, modern look and feel,” said Megan Brumagim, head of Comfort brands.

Comfort began its journey to transform in 2012, when it examined its properties. The brand found more than 600 properties weren’t up to standards, so Comfort exited those locations. Afterward, Comfort introduced its Move to Modern plan, an initiative focused on property upgrades. Comfort’s goal is to have all of its properties renovated  and equipped with updated signage by 2020.

Properties cannot obtain signage with Comfort’s new logo until Move to Modern renovations are completed. New signage will be available to order later in the summer.