THE BROAD VIEW

Can brands truly measure feelings?

As hotels look to measure guest emotion as a litmus test of brand success, things start to get complicated

    • “Feelings” are the new gold standard for hotel brands keen to measure success and ratchet up revenue. But the task remains elusive.
    • “Feelings” are the new gold standard for hotel brands keen to measure success and ratchet up revenue. But the task remains elusive. IMAGE: PIXABAY
    Published Sat, Aug 15, 2026 · 07:00 AM

    IF A brand is synonymous with an emotion, how can it be measured? This is a question that continues to elude many.

    Brands have historically been about trust, safety and reliability. Later, they came to demonstrate status, luxury and aspiration.

    After David Ogilvy famously penned in 1958: “At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock”, the company’s car sales shot up in the US.