Vacationing is much more than traveling to a beach destination or enjoying long afternoons at the pool. Vacationing is an attitude and it is the territory on which the Sol by Meliá hotel brand, one of the most emblematic of the Meliá group, has built its rebranding and relaunch strategy. And the firm has launched an integrated campaign that communicates the strategic transformation process to adapt to today’s consumer and their new ways of traveling.

The revitalization of Sol by Meliá coincides with the company’s 70th anniversary and has covered multiple aspects of the business, from the remodeling of hotels to innovation in services and improvement of the gastronomic offer or optimization of the experience. The brand presents itself to the market with a renewed, fresher and more contemporary proposal, but which captures the essence and spirit of a pioneering brand in vacation tourism.

Everything under the Sun

This is a review of the brand that builds on its legacy in democratizing the summer vacation experience in Spain. It is worth remembering that the origin of the company dates back to 1956, when businessman Gabriel Escarrer Julià acquired his first hotel, giving rise to the Sol chain. In 1987 he acquired the Meliá hotel chain, founded by José Meliá Sinisterra, becoming Sol Meliá, a name that the group changed in 2011 to the current name, Meliá Hotels International.

The relaunch of the brand connects that historical trajectory with the international presence and ambition that characterizes the company. “Sol is at the origin of what Meliá is today, it has always been there, accompanying generations of Spaniards. It represents the summer of a lifetime”explains Teresa Jiménez, Senior Brand Marketing Manager of Sol by Meliá, in statements to reason.Why. “‘Everything under the Sol’ captures that trajectory and what it represents, an open, flexible and vibrant brand where everyone is welcome.”.

The new strategic positioning has been developed from the collaboration of the different areas of the brand with the Soon in Tokyo agency. It is articulated under the brand claim “Everything under the Sol”, which celebrates light, authenticity, energy and everything that happens during the summer as a state of mind and a way of living that can be experienced all year round in its hotels, both in what Spain has and those operated by countries such as Vietnam, Greece, Bulgaria or Cape Verde.

The concept also conveys the personality of the firm, based on the concepts “all day fun” and “all tribes welcome.” And the new Sol by Meliá is defined as an open, flexible and vibrant space, where all “tribes” are welcome, from multigenerational families, couples or groups of friends, to more senior travelers and athletes looking to enjoy the destination. It is also a hotel chain that is characterized by an all-inclusive offer and experience and a wide catalog of services for vacation leisure.

“Sol is the place where fun is guaranteed, but also an inclusive and reliable space where families, couples or groups of friends can find everything expected from a hotel brand and an unforgettable vacation experience.“, says Jiménez. “It has a spontaneous, happy and empathetic character, which are very Spanish, very Mediterranean traits, but which also attract a lot of international audiences.”.

All of this is reflected in the new brand image and its updated visual system, which is inspired, on the other hand, by the concept of the sun itself, with a color palette around its characteristic yellow, as well as by the traditions and emotions of the classic Spanish summer. Thus, the logo has been renewed as well as the typography and photography, deployed over the last few months, but the new identity permeates all contact points, from the design of the hotels, to the signage, to the merchandising products.

“The idea has been to reconnect the brand with its heritage and remember where it comes from. There is a point of nostalgia, but it also puts one foot in the now and the future“explains Angelo Palma, Partner and Creative Director at Soon in Tokyo, in statements to reason.Why. “There is an imagery of the 70s and 80s, but with a modern treatment and touch. It is a very flexible identity, which has different applications and can be adapted to all languages, it is a toolbox for the brand.”.

The summer, territory of Sol by Meliá

Both the new positioning and the new aesthetic proposal are collected in a digital spot that builds a story about the role of the brand in the Spanish summer. The brand video connects with the legacy of Sol by Meliá and very specific emotions associated with the past, while opening up to the mainstream and a moderate tourist experience. The summer is presented as a state of mind, shaping a territory with a long-term journey.

Beyond the audiovisual piece, the new Sol by Meliá is being made known with a strategy worked together with Soon in Tokyo and the media agency Proximia and the Havas Play agency, which has combined outdoor advertising, street marketing and amplification in digital media. Its objective has been to transfer the spirit of the summer to the city using the connection between the naming and Puerta del Sol, one of the busiest spaces in Madrid.

Under the claim “Welcome to the New Sol”, the urban action has transformed the metro accesses on Alcalá Street and Carmen Street into symbolic gateways to the new Sol by Meliá universe. A visual experience inspired by summer has been deployed, in such a way that the sea water and the pool, the towels, the sun and the swimsuits, reinterpreted under a contemporary perspective, have sent the message that vacations are more than a destination, they are a way of living and sharing.

The activation has communicated the brand’s new identity, and also the multiple locations in which it is present. “The choice of Puerta del Sol is a natural exercise that has sought the reinforcement of repetition to generate a quick and memorable association.“, comments Teresa Jiménez in statements to reason.Why. “The intention is to impact the thousands of people who pass by there every day; reinforce sympathy and recognition among those who already know the brand, and introduce ourselves to those who have not yet approached Sol”.

In addition, a street marketing action has been carried out on the surface, where the brand has distributed fans and branded illustrated postcards. With these, passers-by have been encouraged to participate in the raffle for two stays for four people in SOL hotels located in iconic national destinations such as the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, or more paradisiacal destinations such as Bali or Vietnam.

The entire experience has been amplified through social networks through collaborations with content creators, such as Carlos Qué Opinan, who has taken to the streets to ask passersby about their ideal vacations.

Furthermore, with SpainSays it has delved into the activities and emotions of summer from humor, creating terms that combine English and Spanish, a feature that characterizes both the brand’s communication and the popular Instagram account.

On the other hand, with organic pieces. Sol by Meliá has also encouraged users to share their summer plans to enter the draw for a getaway for four people. The social media strategy includes a TikTok filter or collaborations with foreign creators to transfer the Spanish origin of the brand to other markets.

The launch of a platform

The campaign aims to promote the new stage of Sol by Meliá. The brand, as its managers point out, trust in the transformation carried out and in the possibilities of its revitalized proposal in different aspects of the business to continue positioning itself as pioneers and references in vacation tourism and expand the presence and consideration of the brand.

However, they are also aware of the growth and differentiation challenges currently posed by a category as complex and competitive as the hotel industry. “We want to continue positioning ourselves in our territory and be differentiating and relevant with respect to our competition. But we have an authenticity that belongs only to us, which is this whole legacy” explains Jiménez.

The agency already considers it a success to have established the pillars of an adaptive brand narrative that looks to the future. “A coherence has been implemented that facilitates the construction of the brand, because it creates a territory from which to make decisions regarding products, services, communication, content, criteria for choosing collaborators…“, explains Angelo Palma. “I think the idea of ​​legacy is different, because other hotel brands can talk about summer, but Sol was there when the vacation culture started in Spain. And that story is connected to what it really offers”.

In initial qualitative assessments, laßconsiders that the campaign is already contributing to the brand’s objectives. “Everything we have worked on, from the image to the positioning, is generating a lot of sympathy and closeness, because deep down what we are doing is celebrating that moment that is the one you remember best of the entire year, which is the holidays, and that connects with very happy and beautiful emotions. And I think that is going to give us very good results.”, he concludes.