Motel 6 Names Barkley as New Agency of Record for Advertising and Marketing

Motel 6, the leading economy lodging brand, has selected Barkley, a Kansas City-based independent agency known for building modern brands for modern consumers, as its new agency of record. The decision comes after an agency review and request-for-proposal process, which kicked off earlier this year and narrowed a field of agencies before awarding the business to Barkley this month.

“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. “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.”

In the past few years, Motel 6 has implemented a number of initiatives to restructure and evolve the business in ways that place greater emphasis on its brand management. As part of these changes, the company appointed Adam Cannon to the newly created role of vice president of brand management, and in this capacity he will be managing the Barkley relationship.

Simultaneously, Motel 6 has added 98 franchise properties to its portfolio in 2020 and continues to project similar growth into 2021. The introduction of new Brand Standards across independently owned properties and a renewed commitment to consistency around quality, safety, and service through those standards has been a key focus for the brand management team.

“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,” said Jason Parks, chief growth officer at Barkley. “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.”

Barkley has a strong track record of helping travel and tourism brands connect with their audiences, as well as expertise in building inclusive campaigns that reach a broad range of consumers.

Barkley will be working with Motel 6 on several key initiatives in 2021, including a ‘return to travel’ campaign, expanding its reach to guests, and aligning across multi-channel marketing efforts.