Apple Macs have many fans all over the world, as well as a brand that continues to inspire their audience. It only makes sense that other companies would want to link their own brand to this success and cult appeal. Now, this has become a reality, as Bermondsey Square Hotel, Tower Bridge Road, London, has incorporated Mac products into every aspect of their hotel, from accounting to the electronics in guest rooms.

Instead of normal televisions, the hotel offers iMacs that double as fully functional computers. Xserve offers the premises network. The Apple logo design can be seen in prominent locations throughout the hotel, probably receiving more emphasis than the hotel logo design.

The hotel claims that they are going for a ‘wow factor’ that will inspire people to try the hotel and to continue coming back. In addition to the Mac products, there are also premium mattresses and showerheads, all top of the line and from well known brands. The goal is to provide the customer with a better experience than they have at home, which is challenging when dealing with upper and upper-middle classes.

There are several reasons Bermondsey Square Hotel and Mac are a marriage made in heaven. First, the hotel and the computer super-brand both have a modern, minimalist style that appeals to the young and stylish professional that is the hotel’s target audience. Second, brand loyalty is important to this crowd, many of whom are already Mac fans and ironically will be using their own laptop computers during their stay.

Most people are familiar with the white Apple logo design. The Bermondsey Square Hotel has a similarly simple and modern logo, but one that communicates very different meanings. The general shape is of a square, giving a straightforward image. The writing is plain and serious, without serifs or frills. There is no image, leaving a very stark and modern logo. However, there are a few things that this logo has in common with Apple’s logo design. First, they are both simple and modern, without frills or details. Second, they are both highly minimalist, appealing to the sensibilities of young professionals. These two images don’t exactly match, but they certainly do not clash either.

While converting entirely to Apple was an expensive decision for the hotel, the management felt that this was a chance to differentiate the establishment from its competition. This definitely was a prudent decision. Not only will the sophisticated hardware impress many prospective clients, the general over the top luxury of putting premium computers throughout a hotel has received a significant amount of media attention—that is, free publicity. The fact that this publicity centers on a key part of the hotel brand is only more beneficial.

Many businesses can benefit from making partnerships with other companies. This gives you the opportunity to tie your brand into another complementary brand. Cross branding has been so successful for companies that have tried it that it is becoming somewhat of a trend. We are likely to see more and more examples in the future.