Peter Nowlan
Peter Nowlan is moving from one iconic Canadian brand to another, though the two exist in very different worlds.
After just 18 months as chief marketer for Tim Hortons, Nowlan has left to become executive vice-president and chief marketing officer for the international luxury hotel brand Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
Nowlan’s brand-building CV goes back 25 years, mostly with Kraft Foods. Before Tim Hortons, he was top marketer for Molson Coors. Working from the Four Seasons head office in Toronto, Nowlan will replace Susan Helstab who is leaving after seven years leading Four Seasons sales and marketing.
He takes the new job with Four Seasons in the midst of an aggressive growth plan. In 2010, Four Seasons had 85 hotels, today it has 95 and expects to hit 100 next year with plans to be operating at least 120 locations by 2020.
“As we grow Four Seasons global presence, delivering a consistent brand experience across all guest touch points is critical,” said Four Seasons CEO Allen Smith, in a release announcing the appointment. “Peter’s deep understanding of the customer journey and his ability to recognize and capitalize on market opportunities is essential as we extend Four Seasons leadership and accelerate the delivery of innovative sales and marketing strategies.”
The obvious challenge for Nowlan in his new job might come in transitioning from a mass-market brand to one that is decidedly up-market, said Queen’s University marketing professor Ken Wong. “Can someone with a Tim Hortons background step up a few levels of socioeconomic class?” he said.
“Marketing a Tim Hortons, you have to be in [the consumer’s] face constantly, reminding them, doing something a little different to maintain some excitement and give them a reason to come in,” he said. “Four Seasons is a different game…You will not see a tremendous amount of advertising and frankly, they don’t have to. Everyone knows what Four Seasons stands for.”
And what it stands for is exceptional service. Nowlan’s priority has to be ensuring Four Seasons hotel operators around the world maintain that high level of service while also coming up with different ways to go above and beyond that amazing service to impress those loyal customers. In the up-market hotel industry that might mean a new spa service or upgraded amenities.
“The one nice thing that Nowlan will find with Four Seasons as opposed to Tims is that when you add something new at Tims you have to be conscious that you are adding to costs and then you have to add to prices or squeeze margins,” he said. “The Four Seasons customer is, I don’t think, as price sensitive.”
Rethink partner, creative director and “Brand Doctor” columnist for Marketing, Chris Staples said Nowlan is in the fortunate position of taking over a brand that is already “incredibly special.”
“I don’t think there is a problem with the brand itself, I think there is an opportunity to express the brand in a more modern way,” he said.
Staples called himself a “slightly biased” fan of Nowlan, having worked with him at Molson Coors. “Peter is very good in figuring out the essence of the brand and then updating the messages to fit in the modern world,” he said, pointing to the Beer Fridge work they did together for Molson and Nowlan’s work at Tim Hortons that included sending customers into a darkened store during the dark roast coffee launch, and having NHL superstars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon serve coffee to surprised drive thru customers. “I think Peter really got the pulse of what is fresh in marketing,” he said.
And while Four Seasons’ core strength of customer service remains a powerful differentiator—“The people and the service culture are what I would term friendly luxury,” said Staples—he sees an opportunity to freshen up some of its messaging.
In the hotel industry, the communications through social channels and online, particularly to existing customers, are very important and could all be better for Four Seasons, said Staples. “There is a slight disconnect for me now when I go to the Four Seasons website, it is just not as fabulous or great… There is an opportunity to make the communications feel a little more like the brand.”
Nowlan will officially join Four Seasons Jan. 20 and will oversee brand marketing, FourSeasons.com and digital ecosystem, public relations, social media, marketing communications, advertising, worldwide sales force and central reservations organization.
