Presenters delivering innovative ideas in window box style screens not dissimilar to the transparent PVC-fronted packaging of dolls and action figures, accompanied by musicians encased in their own toy box screens. You wouldn't be judged too harshly if you'd thought this was a film premiere, a musician's album launch or a fashion event. But no! It was AccorInvest's rebrand event being held in Paris, recorded and simultaneously streamed across three destinations - London, Munich and Warsaw.
Scratch that! Meet Essendi! No longer AccorInvest, the hotel owner and operator now aims to blend the seriousness of asset management and the warmth of hotel services and hospitality, focusing not just on creating value but also on empowering communities, talent and making ESG a priority.
"People are at the heart of our journey and it is by working together that we can make a real difference in this next chapter," stated Gilles Clavie, chief executive officer of the newly-minted Essendi.
The Latin-derived "Essendi" reflects the company's focus on transformation, connection, and sustainable growth, with the company stressing that the new names embodies its ambition to create places that do more than host but also connect, energize, thrive and are designed to interact with their environment and communities and support local culture.
Running on the values of "Care, Dare and Empower", Essendi aims to unlock positive hospitality by being an active force for opportunity in the communities where the company operates, creating lasting value for its teams and guests, its partners and the planet.
"Our brand is really about people but also about hospitality and real estate, and that combination is really important to me. Bringing the value of people together with real estate and a focus on ESG is what we are as a company," added Martijn Van Der Graaf, chief operating officer - Western Europe of Essendi.
As Essendi looks to the future, it's clear that this rebrand really underscores a broader shift in the hospitality sector - a move away from purely transactional operations towards more purpose driven business models where experience, community engagement and environmental stewardship are becoming just as important as profitability.