Reminder: Standards Related to Consumer Perception of Marriott’s Brands
Franchise Management Companies | We want to remind you of a number of brand standards that your hotels must comply with. These standards are critical in protecting customer confidence in Marriott, driving loyalty and ensuring your hotels are in compliance with their franchise agreements with Marriott.
Trademarks, Trade Names, Service Marks, and Logos Standard
This standard is intended to protect, preserve, and strengthen the brand integrity of Marriott International’s proprietary trademarks, trade names, service marks, and logos, and states these Marriott Proprietary Marks may be used only for marketing of Marriott brands. They may not be used in any sales or marketing activities in combination with any non-Marriott brands or other businesses of any kind. This includes:
- Email Signatures: email signatures may not include both Marriott and non-Marriott logos.
- Hotel Shuttles: as it relates to airport/shuttle vehicles, use of Marriott logos is subject to Marriott’s prior approval in its sole discretion. Generally, logos should not be used when sharing shuttles with competitor brands.
Channel Standard Criteria for Approval of Wholesale Third Party Distribution
The channel standards help ensure all consumers have access to the same rates and inventory, while guaranteeing consumers can access the lowest rates via Marriott’s direct channels. To remain compliant, hotels should:
- Only provide rates, availability, and inventory to Certified Third Party Channels consistent with the Criteria for Approval. It is important to note that it is common for certain Certified Third Party Channels to have several distribution product lines, not all of which may be certified by Marriott. Where applicable, Marriott will specify the Certified Third Party Channel’s approved product lines in the Certified Third Party Channel Lists.
- Check MGS, as appropriate, prior to entering into a distribution arrangement with any Third Party Channel, to determine whether the channel is a Certified Third Party Channel. If Marriott has negotiated a corporate agreement with the Certified Third Party in which the hotels may participate, Managed by Marriott (MxM) hotels must participate in such agreement; franchised hotels are strongly recommended to participate in this agreement instead of negotiating their own agreements.
- Hotels that would like to make arrangements to provide inventory to Third Party Channels that are not Certified Third Party Channels (including hotels that are currently under contract with non-certified Third Party Channels that would like to continue doing business with that channel upon termination of the contract) should:
- For off-line third parties, see Channel Standard: Criteria for Approval of Offline Third Party Distribution, which is currently under review and targeted for distribution late Q3, 2014;
- For on-line third parties, see Channel Standard: Criteria for Approval of Online Third Party Distribution (PDF), published October 2013;
- For wholesalers, see Channel Standard: Criteria for Approval of Wholesale Third Party Distribution (PDF), published June 2014.
Off-Platform Websites & Apps Brand Standard
As a reminder, the standard requires the eventual sunsetting of all non-approved independent websites, excluding hotels within the Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio brands. Additional exceptions will be limited in nature and may be approved only by Marriott Corporate subject to the satisfaction of stringent criteria and the website(s) being compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and usage rights.
We appreciate your cooperation to ensure your hotels are compliant with Marriott policies.
