what's in a name

[SueDonJ]

Exactly. Starwood Vacation Ownership and the associated use of the westin and Sheraton brands on Timeshares is owned by vse.

Just like yum brands owns pizza hut and taco bell.

A fast food forum would not call it a yum forum but taco bell or pizza hut.

Referring to legal ownership structures not common nomenclature makes no sense. Heck, should I Alphabet that for you or do you still Google it or set your nest by alphabet thermostat?

Sorry Denise, I have to agree. Should be renamed (e.g., Westin, Sheraton, and affiliated resorts).. Like someone said, Vistana is a holding company and has no meaning to most.

I don't understand these comments. VSE isn't the parent company of SVO, it's the new name of SVO with ILG becoming the parent company. They may be keeping the Starwood, Westin and Sheraton names where they exist in the individual resort names, but SVO is gone regardless of who will be the parent company.

From the 6/16/15 press release:

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced a key milestone toward the planned spin-off of its vacation ownership business into a separate publicly traded company. Starwood Vacation Ownership (SVO), which will be named Vistana Signature Experiences, Inc. upon completion of the spin-off transaction ...

 

[SueDonJ]

But that is a different situation, because the Hyatt resorts kept the Hyatt name.

VSE is not keeping the Starwood name.

I agree. Thinking of it in terms of Marriott's timeshare spin-off five years ago, if they hadn't kept the Marriott name then I would have expected the TUG forum to change its name to whatever new name the company selected.

 

[lizap]

Regardless, I bet ILG will keep the Westin, Sheraton names; my understanding is they have that right. Most people probably will not be aware of the Vistana name unless they use it at newly developed resorts.

I don't understand these comments. VSE isn't the parent company of SVO, it's the new name of SVO with ILG becoming the parent company. They may be keeping the Starwood, Westin and Sheraton names where they exist in the individual resort names, but SVO is gone regardless of who will be the parent company.

From the 6/16/15 press release:

 

[DeniseM]

Using VSE, Starwood, Sheraton, and Westin in the forum name covers all the bases.

Again - let's review in 6 mos. or a year when we know if ILG is keeping the VSE name, and/or what common usage will be.

 

[lizap]

IF ILG has the legal right to keep the Westin, Sheraton names, it would be brand suicide to change it anytime soon.

Using VSE, Starwood, Sheraton, and Westin in the forum name covers all the bases.

Again - let's review in 6 mos. or a year when we know if ILG is keeping the VSE name, and/or what common usage will be.

 

[SueDonJ]

Regardless, I bet ILG will keep the Westin, Sheraton names; my understanding is they have that right. Most people probably will not be aware of the Vistana name unless they use it at newly developed resorts.

I'll bet they do, too, as long as HOT allows them to do so (which it appears they are.) But the criticism in this thread that I don't understand is that the forum shouldn't be called VSE because those resort names are still in use. If Denise had proposed changing the forum name to ILG (as the parent company) then I could understand the criticism. Changing the forum name to reflect the new timeshare company name, though, makes perfect sense IMO.

 

[DeniseM]

IF ILG has the legal right to keep the Westin, Sheraton names, it would be brand suicide to change it anytime soon.

I don't think anyone has questioned that - the question is, what is SVO going to be called?

Right now, it's Vistana Signature Experiences. Really, really dumb name. If ILG has any sense, they will change it quickly before it has any brand recognition.

But we don't know how that is going to shake out, yet.

If/when the name changes, or some other common usage becomes prominent, I will be the first one to change the forum name.

 

[lizap]

Bingo, that's what I think is going to happen. Provided they have the legal right (I think they do), they are NOT going to rename WSJ, WKORV, WPORV, WKV, Vistana. Would be really dumb.

I don't think anyone has questioned that - the question is, what is SVO going to be called?

Right now, it's Vistana Signature Experiences. Really, really dumb name. If ILG has any sense, they will change it quickly before it has any brand recognition.

But we don't know how that is going to shake out, yet.

If/when the name changes, or some other common usage becomes prominent, I will be the first one to change the forum name.

 

[SueDonJ]

I don't think anyone has questioned that - the question is, what is SVO going to be called?

Right now, it's Vistana Signature Experiences. Really, really dumb name. If ILG has any sense, they will change it quickly before it has any brand recognition.

But we don't know how that is going to shake out, yet.

If/when the name changes, or some other common usage becomes prominent, I will be the first one to change the forum name.

If HOT demanded a name change to remove Starwood prior to the spin-off, they probably also wouldn't allow usage of either Westin or Sheraton in the new company name. At least the timeshares have some historical connection to Vistana. With the trends in the industry toward alternative usage for existing and new timeshare ownership, I think it was genius to include "Experiences." Given all that, what would you suggest for a new name?

 

[DeniseM]

Haven't given it much thought, but if they could use the Westin name for the whole company, that would have prestige and brand recognition.

Westin Vacation Ownership

Westin-Sheraton Vacation Ownership.

 

[lizap]

Really all depends on the wording in the legal documents. If the documents allow it, I bet no way ILG changes many of the Westins to Vistana...

If HOT demanded a name change to remove Starwood prior to the spin-off, they probably also wouldn't allow usage of either Westin or Sheraton in the new company name. At least the timeshares have some historical connection to Vistana. With the trends in the industry toward alternative usage for existing and new timeshare ownership, I think it was genius to include "Experiences." Given all that, what would you suggest for a new name?

 

[taterhed]

Over hyped

sent from my cell phone...

 

[vacationtime1]

If HOT demanded a name change to remove Starwood prior to the spin-off, they probably also wouldn't allow usage of either Westin or Sheraton in the new company name. At least the timeshares have some historical connection to Vistana. With the trends in the industry toward alternative usage for existing and new timeshare ownership, I think it was genius to include "Experiences." Given all that, what would you suggest for a new name?

I'm sure the Westin and Sheraton brand names for timeshares were licensed to ILG as part of the spin-off (just as the Marriott name was licensed in that spin-off). Although it may be that that licensing (including the use of the Starwood brand) does not include the use of those brand names as part of the company name.

I agree with you about the use of "Experiences". It seems that several of the high end timeshare companies are trying to market an overall vacation concept, not just timeshares, and to create a "currency" that they will sell to us (i.e. points) in order to pre-pay for those vacation experiences.

 

[lizap]

Don't think so. We bought Westin because of it's quality reputation. Probably would have never considered a Vistana TS.

Over hyped

sent from my cell phone...

 

[SueDonJ]

Really all depends on the wording in the legal documents. If the documents allow it, I bet no way ILG changes many of the Westins to Vistana...

I'm sure the Westin and Sheraton brand names for timeshares were licensed to ILG as part of the spin-off (just as the Marriott name was licensed in that spin-off). Although it may be that that licensing (including the use of the Starwood brand) does not include the use of those brand names as part of the company name. ...

I agree that they'd be crazy to change the resort names, which it doesn't appear that HOT is requiring them to do that at any time now or in the future. But if HOT isn't letting them use Starwood, Westin or Sheraton in the new company name, which it does appear they placed that restriction, what's left?

 

[DeniseM]

Here is another thing - what about the Westin and Sheraton Hotels, that will now be managed by Marriott?

 

[tschwa2]

I think I read that Marriott doesn't have plans to change or discontinue the starwood brand name on the hotels for at least the next year or two. The same with the Starpoint program. So for now they will continue side by side with the current M hotels and reward program.

 

[SueDonJ]

Here is another thing - what about the Westin and Sheraton Hotels, that will now be managed by Marriott?

Marriott, Int'l (MAR) says that in the immediate aftermath of the takeover there won't be any changes to those hotels, for whatever that's worth. They now license the "Marriott" name to the separate company for Marriott timeshare resorts so there's a blueprint for them to license the "Sheraton" and "Westin" names to VSE for those resorts.

 

[SMHarman]

I don't understand these comments. VSE isn't the parent company of SVO, it's the new name of SVO with ILG becoming the parent company. They may be keeping the Starwood, Westin and Sheraton names where they exist in the individual resort names, but SVO is gone regardless of who will be the parent company.

From the 6/16/15 press release:

At the simplest level if I continue to visit Starwoodvacationownership.com to book my westin or Sheraton timeshare then the whole vse thing is irrelevant.

Now starwood rebranded the TS entity pre sale but did not rebrand the website or domain name. Why is the change pushed through now when the rebrand mail / announcement was months ago in June 2015.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...ood-Announces-Filing-Form-10-Planned-Spin-off

 

[SueDonJ]

At the simplest level if I continue to visit Starwoodvacationownership.com to book my westin or Sheraton timeshare then the whole vse thing is irrelevant.

Now starwood rebranded the TS entity pre sale but did not rebrand the website or domain name. Why is the change pushed through now when the rebrand mail / announcement was months ago.

I think Denise proposed the change just now because the legalities with ILG were supposed to be completed the other day. I wouldn't expect any changes in the official websites or documents prior to the legalities being complete but, if you wait to change the TUG name until everything on the related websites is changed you could be waiting a loooooong time. Marriott's timeshare spin-off was five years ago but the new website is just a couple months old now.

 

[DeniseM]

At the simplest level if I continue to visit Starwoodvacationownership.com to book my westin or Sheraton timeshare then the whole vse thing is irrelevant.

Now starwood rebranded the TS entity pre sale but did not rebrand the website or domain name. Why is the change pushed through now when the rebrand mail / announcement was months ago.

Yesterday, they were suppose to re-brand the SVO website, and roll SVO control over to ILG, but due to a delay, it has been postponed for a few days.

I don't think you will visit "Starwoodvacationownership.com" after the rebranding is complete - I think that link will re-direct you to a website with a different name.

ILG doesn't own the Starwood name, so they are going to have to change the branding on everything.

 

[taterhed]

Don't think so. We bought Westin because of it's quality reputation. Probably would have never considered a Vistana TS.

I agree with you. If they change the name...it will be a mistake IMHO

Hopefully, all the 'hype' about the name change is just smoke.

Vistana is almost as bad as the Chevy 'No-va' (no go).

Although....it's a 'classic' name now and respected. Who knew?

 

[SMHarman]

I don't think you will visit "Starwoodvacationownership.com" after the rebranding is complete - I think that link will re-direct you to a website with a different name.

But none of us know

 

[DeniseM]

In a few days, the website will be re-branded - I'd be happy to continue this discussion then.

 

[SueDonJ]

But none of us know

I think you do know that Starwood Vacation Network/Ownership doesn't exist as the name of the HOT timeshare segment/company anymore. The name change to Vistana Signature Experiences is a done deal, was announced by HOT and the spin-off process began in 2015. It was also a contingency of any acquisition offers that HOT entertained for its own sale before ultimately settling on the pending acquisition by MAR.

Prior to the timeshare company's completed acquisition by ILG, as the seller HOT doesn't have any pressing need to change the website domain/official docs/etc because all related activity remains with them until the acquisition is complete. But after, when ILG assumes full official ownership, I don't think there's any doubt that you'll begin to see significant changes. It may be that the new company will subcontract some of the IT functions from HOT for a limited time period, which is what happened following Marriott's timeshare spin-off, but that doesn't mean the name change isn't a foregone conclusion.

It costs real money for companies to re-brand. I would be very surprised if ILG decides to immediately re-brand VSE to another new name anytime soon, but if that's what you all think should happen then I hope they're listening to you.