“Top Management”
SIC Hotel – The story of a “blue ocean” concept
A Unique Opportunity
When, in mid-2017, we began discussing with the Impresa media group the possibility of developing a hotel concept for the SIC brand, we shared a vision of an opportunity arising from two realities: on the one hand, a limited level of differentiation in the hotel offering in Lisbon, and on the other hand, the almost infinite potential for differentiation through the emotional heritage and content of the station, whether they be brands, programs, or personalities – the so-called “SIC stars.”
How the Concept Was Developed
In strict secrecy, a multidisciplinary team, involving members of BlueShift and the Impresa group, studied the market, delved into case studies of disruptive concepts in hospitality and other industries, and deconstructed the customer journey through experience mapping tools. In parallel, the brand profile of SIC and its various extensions (such as “SIC Mulher” and “SIC Radical”, for example) was analyzed in terms of its target audience and programming profile, aligning its strengths with the different facilities and experiences to be offered in the hotel.
From this foundational work, workshops with group dynamics were developed, and tools of “Blue Ocean Strategy” were applied, giving rise to the concept that would be called the TV Hotel – a hotel where the leisure experience intersects with the television experience – “TV in the Hotel. The Hotel on TV.”
A Unique Experience
The concept is based on a total of seventeen key elements that enhance the intersection of these worlds, such as a television studio with real production in the lobby, a restaurant operating non-stop 24 hours a day, an American-style comedy bar, or an entrance based on the “walk of fame” experience, complete with a red carpet, applause, and flashes of photographers.
One of the first assumptions that needed to be established was the target audience. Not one, but three after all: for accommodation, a predominantly international audience, unfamiliar with the SIC brand but sensitive to the unique experience of the world’s first TV Hotel; for outlets, such as the restaurant and bar, the local market with an aspirational profile, sensitive to the glamour of the world of television and SIC stars; finally, for the rest of the national audience, the experience of observing the life of the hotel through its intersection with the programming of the various SIC platforms. A combination of targets that aligns operational profitability objectives with the brand’s communication priorities and positioning within the Portuguese population.
Exceptional Profitability
This is truly a “Blue Ocean” strategy, reinventing the assumptions of a business to offer a unique experience and, in doing so, lock a unique space in the market. Just as Le Cirque du Soleil – the most emblematic example of the application of this theory – distanced itself from the unattractive circus business by introducing elements of ballet and a Broadway show, the SIC Hotel will be the only hotel – in Lisbon and in the world – where the vibrant experience of the television universe is lived.
The “Blue Ocean” theory argues that it is possible to break the traditional trade-off between differentiation and low cost, meaning increasing revenues and simultaneously reducing costs compared to traditional incumbents, thereby achieving exceptional returns.
For example, Le Cirque du Soleil increased revenue through a captive market of more affluent audiences willing to pay more for a surprising and unprecedented show. The SIC Hotel will achieve occupancies and prices that only a unique hotel in the world can aspire to. Similarly, the association with one of the most aspirational brands in Portugal will help attract more local audiences and greater willingness to pay to its outlets.
On the cost side, Le Cirque eliminated its biggest operational burden by abandoning the use of animals in the show, in line with evolving societal attitudes. Similarly, the SIC Hotel, in addition to naturally improving operational ratios through premium pricing, can achieve significant savings through sponsorship opportunities or leveraging the marketing and communication platform of SIC.
Through simulations based on real data from existing hotels in the market, it was concluded that implementing the concept could more than double the GOP (Gross Operating Profit) of a hotel operating under its own brand. Now, it’s just a matter of finding that hotel. Or the space to build it.
A CONTRIBUTION FROM…
Francisco Pedro Balsemão | CEO of Grupo Impresa
What are the Impresa group’s objectives for this project?
Impresa is once again a pioneer by associating the SIC brand with the first hotel project in the world with this conceptual approach to the television universe. We believe in the strength of our brands and that they have a life of their own beyond the screen. We embrace this challenge at a historic moment of change for the Group, because we want to continue to innovate and be closer to our audiences.
How did this idea come about?
Creating a hotel with the name of SIC is an idea that we have been thinking about for over a year, and it arose from the strength that the brand is having among the public, along with the very strong appeal that the world of television awakens in people. We are market leaders and this good moment that SIC is experiencing is the best time to embark on projects that value the brand in other areas, such as tourism, which is also experiencing great growth.
How will SIC contribute to the life of the hotel?
The hotel will operate in a partnership, in which SIC provides thematic content, which includes the provision of certain resources for a new studio. Watching television production in a real studio, located in the hotel lobby, or casually crossing paths with television stars, during work or leisure, are some of the experiences that await guests and visitors to the future hotel with the SIC brand.
Written by Filipe Santiago
July, 2019
This article was published in Publituris Hotelaria as part of the “Top Management” series. You can access the printed version here.

