In part because of the marketplace confusion with Choice’s upper-midscale Clarion brand, Clarion Collection is dropping that name in favor of the Ascend Collection moniker. The name and logo tested highly with consumers in the categories of luxury and exclusivity, and Choice believes Ascend will generate more cachet and higher RevPAR for its member properties. The core Clarion brand logged a US$78 ADR in 2007, compared to US$104 for Clarion Collection. 
That gap, Choice executives say, is a driving force behind the name change.

Ascend properties will be placed into one of three “product classes”—Historic, Boutique or Unique—with classification definitions to be announced prior to Ascend’s official November launch. Individual property names and signage will not allude to the Ascend flag, though the logo will be displayed on the hotels’ exteriors.

Additionally, Choice is emphasizing new terminology for Ascend, dropping the words “brand” and “franchisees” in favor of “affiliation program” and “members.” Besides giving the 39 North America member properties a clear identity separate from Clarion, the changes mean more freedom and flexibility for the hotels to be themselves. Having “brand standards” does not make much sense for a collection of unique properties, says Bruce Haas, Choice’s executive vice president for global brand operations. Instead, Ascend will celebrate the diversity of its members to ensure that each hotel is an experience unto itself, he says.

Ascend will remain tied to Choice through its marketing and distribution systems, but otherwise will have greater distance from the rest of Choice’s core brands. Collection properties in Europe will not participate in the re-launch and will retain the Clarion Collection flag.

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