6th April 2005

TRAVELODGE’S NEW ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
TO SUPPORT £20 MILLION REBRAND PROGRAMME

Today, Travelodge, the UK’s number one budget hotel brand*, launches a £1 million advertising campaign to support its new brand identity. The campaign has been created around the theme - Be Sleepwise, which underlines Travelodge is the smart choice when booking hotel accommodation.
The campaign goes live Monday 11th April 2005 and will be executed via press, radio, outdoor and online advertising over the next couple of months. It has been developed with Euro RSCG London.

The national press and outdoor campaign will include four creative executions, which each communicate a different customer nightmare scenario (See notes to editor for further information) with Travelodge positioned as the solution to the problem and being the smart choice for a stop-over; with comfy rooms from £26 online, it is the ideal choice for a good night sleep. The radio campaign focuses on the extravagant hidden charges you pay whilst staying in a full service or boutique hotel.

The radio advertising sign off is provided by Gabrielle Glaister - the new voice of Travelodge (Who starred in Black Adder and Brookside), who typifies the warm welcome customers can expect at a Travelodge hotel.

To support the advertising launch the Travelodge website www.travelodge.co.uk has been re-skinned with the new brand identity and has improved functionality which includes a new shopping basket function which will make it easier for customers to book online – especially business travellers who like to make more than one booking at a time.

Alistair Buckle, Director of Brand Marketing, said, “ On 11th April 2005, after 20 years Travelodge will be given a new modern brand identity (Known as Dreamscape) which reflects the warm welcome and good night ‘s sleep that Travelodge offers its customers. Our new UK advertising campaign brings to life the philosophy behind our new brand identity and the Be Sleepwise headline helps communicate our key messages of Travelodge being the smart choice, through offering comfortable rooms and a warm welcome from £26 per night”.

“People know that flying low cost to Europe in 2005 is a clever thing to do and definitely not a false economy. We are aiming to persuade these new pragmatists to adopt a similar approach when choosing hotel accommodation.
Travelodge can offer rooms from £26 per night, compared to the average UK hotel room cost of £90, which leaves spare cash to spend on other things, such as going out to the theatre or for a meal. ”

Gerry Moira, Euro RSCG London, Executive Creative Director said, 'The 'Be Sleepwise' campaign outlines a variety of reasons why Travelodge is the smart choice. Realistic, but fun, they'll certainly stand out in the competitive budget hotel sector.'

Travelodge has spent over £20 million on the UK hotel estate over the last two years, with a further £20 million earmarked for brand rollout and advertising support over the next two years. Every room in the Travelodge estate is either a new build or has been redecorated in the last twelve months.

Travelodge is focussed on building its UK market share by opening 15,000 rooms over the next six years, with 2,500 opening in 2005 alone. The budget
sector is the fastest growing part of the UK hotel business with the highest returns and this sector is expected to grow to 100,000 rooms by 2010.

ENDS
Further Information, please contact:
Shakila Ahmed,
Travelodge
Direct Line: 0121 521 6638
Mobile: 07802 702 499

Notes to Editor

- Attached are the new press ad’s which communicate a different nightmare customer scenerio:-
Family of four sleeping in one bed
Office worker sleeping under his desk
Going home on the night bus after a fancy dress party
Getting up at 4am to get to an early meeting or to catch a flight

- *The latest BDRC British Hotel Guest Survey (February 2005) named Travelodge as the joint number one hotel brand in the UK* and the number one budget brand. Travelodge was also named as “The Most Improved Budget Brand”.

- The other radio voice over’s provided by George Irving ( Holby City) Anna Chancellor (Four Weddings and a funeral and Pride and Prejudice), Andrew Machlachlan and Gary Parker.

- Travelodge room rates start from just £26 per night and £46 Central London These rates are subject to availability and can only be booked online
- Travelodge now secures 50% of its bookings through its website and plans to grow this to 65% in 2005.

- Travelodge was the first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985 and this year celebrates its 20th anniversary

- Over six million people stay with Travelodge every year.

- Travelodge has currently 260 locations throughout the UK. These are conveniently located in most major UK cities.

- Travelodge offers an online booking service at www.travelodge.co.uk and also via telephone on 08700 850 950