Motel 6 has officially replaced The Richards Group with a new advertising company, inking a deal to work with Kansas City-based independent agency Barkley.
Motel 6′s Adam Cannon, who took on the role of vice president of brand management a year ago, will manage the relationship with Barkley, according to the company. Barkley will work on marketing initiatives for Motel 6 in 2021, including a “return to travel” campaign as the COVID-19 pandemic drags out.
“As an iconic and beloved symbol of travel, we’re excited to partner with Motel 6 on the next chapter in the brand’s trajectory,” Barkley chief growth officer Jason Parks said in a statement. “We’re excited to build on their rich history and strong foundation to bring bold new ideas to build an even stronger, whole brand designed for the modern consumer.”
“Motel 6 is an iconic brand with a 58-year history leading the economy lodging segment. A large part of that success has been our commitment to keeping the light on for our guests and being there when and where they need us—and that has been a considerable advantage for us in a year like 2020,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO of G6 Hospitality, a holding group managing the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. “Still, you can’t continue to lead a category in today’s environment without evolving, which is why we are excited to be partnering with Barkley to advance our strategic vision for the brand and shine a fresh, new light on a legacy brand.”,/p>
Barkley will be responsible for working with Motel 6 on a number of initiatives for 2020, including a campaign around returning to travel, expanding the chain’s guest outreach and aligning messaging across multichannel marketing efforts.
