Promoting your image through a global star. It's easy to imagine how pleased the Accor group's marketing managers were when it was announced that Lionel Messi would be joining Paris Saint Germain in 2021. The club's shirt sponsor for the past two yearsWith the launch of its new loyalty programme, ALL, the French hotelier's reputation was already being raised by global stars such as Mbappé and Neymar. But the transfer of Argentina's multiple gold medallist gave the company the opportunity to go even further and make a big splash in front of billions of television viewers and hundreds of millions of followers, not to mention all the jerseys that have been sold in droves.
A new page has been turned with the announced departure of this football legend to Miami, while we wait to see what happens with Mbappé or Neymar. But one thing is certain, the links between PSG and Accor remain as close as ever. And not just because the CEO of the French hotelier, Sébastien Bazin, was also, for a time, in charge of the Parisian club. In 2022, Accor extended its partnership with the Parisian club for a further four years, with a more discreet presence - Qatar Airways replaced it as shirt sponsor - but still active for members of the loyalty programme, who can exchange their points for tickets in the stands at the Parc des Princes. They can even get VIP pitch-side seats.
" PSG is closely linked to the ALL programme, and will be for many years to come" underlined Mehdi Hemici, in his introduction to the ALL Dream Tournament on 12 June. For the occasion, the Parc des Princes was transformed into a playground where 16 teams of around ten players competed in two tournaments, one reserved for the media, the other for around a hundred ALL members. These were all customers with high status in the programme, who were quick to jump at the chance to 'burn' a few thousand points for the chance to immerse themselves for a day in the world of the French champions.
Treading the same turf as Messi or Mbappé, exchanging passes or anecdotes with club legends - Luis Fernandez, Bernard Lama, Jérôme Alonso, Laure Boulleau or Guillaume Hoarau, to name but a few - before a well-deserved shower, again in the facilities usually reserved for PSG players and their opponents: experience has nothing in common. And it's easy to understand why a hundred or so privileged people have chosen to give themselves the status of international player thanks to their status as frequent travellers, and to don the uniform of undisputed starter for a few hours, at least as far as the ALL programme is concerned.
And in the end, Mövenpick wins
Accor's initiative not only rewards the loyalty of its members, but also strengthens the ties between the hotel group and its customers. In addition to the memories of the day, customers will also be able to keep the tunic specially designed for the event. At the start of the tournament, each player was presented with a shirt bearing his or her name, in the colours of Fairmont, Sofitel, Tribe or ibis Styles.
Defending the colours of a hotel brand with the sweat of one's brow: what better way to create a special bond between frequent travellers and their accommodation. For the record, according to the results of this ALL Dream Tournament, Mövenpick and Jo & Joe were the best performers on the ball... And, so as not to leave out the brands appreciated by business travellers, the day was marked by a lunch illustrating the gastronomic offer of the Mercure brand, followed by a moment of mixology signed by MGallery.
The first edition of this ALL Dream Tournament - and perhaps the initiative will be repeated - is the perfect illustration of the unique moments Accor can offer its loyal customers. And there will be more to come. The coming months are going to be busy for AccorAccor is a partner of two major upcoming events in France. Starting with the Rugby World Cup in September and October, for which Accor is an official supporter. This status will enable the hotel group to satisfy its members who are rugby fans.
Then, in 2024, of course, it will be the turn of the Paris Olympic Games in which the French group is one of the official partners. Not just a lucrative sponsor like Coca-Cola, Visa or Airbnb, but an active partner, managing the hotels in the athletes' and media villages. So, as well as welcoming visitors to its many establishments in the Paris region, the hotel group will be involved in the success of the event, using its expertise in hospitality to offer "the best of everything". optimum reception and accommodation conditions during competitions" according to the group.
ALL in Olympic form
" Chis partnership is the culmination of the commitment of one of the world's leading hotel companies, which has been with us since the application phase." said Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, when the partnership was announced. In addition to the hospitality aspect, Accor is also in charge of managing accommodation for visitors and officials through its subsidiary ResaEvents, official booking centre for the competition. Launched to coincide with the 1998 Football World Cup in France and the forthcoming Rugby World Cup in France, this centre now draws on the expertise of another Accor subsidiary, well known in the world of business travel: Gekko, the parent company of HCorpo.
In the run-up to the opening ceremony, the hotel group is turning up the heat for its loyal customers through its "ALL Champions FamilyA team of ten athletes and para-athletes - five women and five men - all in the running to be selected for the Games. They include handball player Nikola Karabatic, judoka Amandine Buchard and Michaël Jeremiasz, four-time Paralympic wheelchair tennis medallist. These sportsmen and women will be able to provide ALL members with memorable experiences, while taking part in sport and health initiatives aimed at the Group's employees. During the event, the group is preparing a host of activities for its loyal customers in its hotels to immerse them in the Olympic atmosphere, but above all it will be able to offer them a few precious keys to attend the competitions as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.
However, in addition to these major events and its partnership with PSG, Accor has other strong links with the world of sport, in particular through the naming of the former Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy - the "Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy".Accor Arena - or theAccor Stadium in Sydney, which hosts the international matches of the Australian rugby team. The aim is to demonstrate that the French group is the leader in the hotel sector in the Pacific.
But for Accor, this sports sponsorship is also a way of defending and illustrating its strategy, in which luxury and sustainable development are becoming increasingly important. With a prestigious standard-bearer: theOrient Express Team which in 2024 will take part in the 37e edition of the America's Cup, the world's greatest sailing competition, to be held in Barcelona. Helmed by Quentin Delapierre, this monohull will carry the colours of a legendary travel brand to which Accor is in the process of breathing new life. Whether on land, with luxury hotels and trains, or on the seas with the recent announcement of the construction of the world's largest sailing yacht, the Orient Express Silenseas.
" Our group is driven by passion, a thirst for adventure and team spirit. That's why sailing is so important to us. in line with our values "said Sébastien BazinChairman and CEO of Accor. The promotion of this sport with a low environmental impact is also materialised by a partnership, since this year, with the French team of the SailGP tournament, the sailing championship presented as the most exciting in the world. Spectacular races, ultra-fast catamarans, stages around the world, from Saint-Tropez to New York, via the Emirates, Auckland and Bermuda: a sponsorship that opens the door to new experiences for members of the ALL programme.
