THE DISSIDENTS

NEW YORK - COPENHAGEN

CELEBRATING OUR 5th YEAR OF DISRUPTION FOR EVERYONE!

WE ARE A BRAND CONSULTANCY FOR THE NEW HOSPITALITY LANDSCAPE

KNOW THE RULES &
WHERE YOU SHOULD BREAK THEM

The Dissidents is a gang of unabashedly smart, rogue hoteliers and designers who consult with companies looking to build rich brand experiences, increase visibility, and create deeply distinctive. forward-thinking and sometimes even subversive experiences for the contemporary traveler. Our team members have created some of the most relevant brands and experiences in the current hospitality landscape.

MAYBE IT'S TIME TO UNMAKE THE BED

Of course it's necessary to show images of a guest room, but do they really need to be the perfectly pressed, hospital cornered versions of yore?

This is, of course, a metaphor, but isn't it time we took a good look at where current customer expectations line up with what we are presenting?

PARTNER UP

We love a good party and you can't have a good party without great friends.

Let us introduce you to our companion firms and potential brand partners that can up your game.

We have relationships with a whole community of chefs, restaurateurs, artists, interior designers, clothing designers, retailers, promoters, DJs, public relations professionals and journalists all looking for interesting partnership opportunities.

SERVICES WE OFFER

What We Do

BRAND CREATION & DEVELOPMENT
(RIGHT BRAIN)

Your identity in the ultra-competitive lifestyle space is your first interaction with your potential guest. What does that say about you? What do you want it to say about you? What distinguishes you in the marketplace? What is your competitive advantage?

Whether developing a new brand or reengineering an existing one, your logo, overall identity, and brand strategy are key in attracting the right customers. Our talented designers have a unique perspective, know the rules and where and when to break them.

Our founder is responsible for creating the Dream Hotels brand and running the in-house design studio for an entire collection of brands, alongside many of its brethren and associated food and beverage entities, as well as steering brand strategy and communications for entire brand portfolios.

PROGRAMMING AND EFFICACY (LEFT BRAIN)

We provide a time-tested external perspective to in-house teams on communications, digital marketing, social media strategy, crisis management, interior design direction and overall site plan programming.

Your brand wears all of these hats. You should too.

PROGNOSTICATION & INNOVATION
(LEFT + RIGHT BRAIN)

We like to think of ourselves as trend forecasters for the

hospitality space.

Get creative and a bit out of your comfort zone. Your customers are craving new experience... are you giving it to them?

Get the best guidance on where your future should take you.

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY, CONTENT DIRECTION AND COPYWRITING

Your brand is the story you tell and how you tell it. Does the voice and tone of your communication match the personality of the brand you ultimately want to project? Are you telling a story your customer wants to hear? Give your team the tools to communicate the core ethos of your narrative and build your legacy.

CONSULTATION ON YOUR NEW BUILD

Our team has been through literally dozens of new property developments and openings, on multiple continents. Take advantage of our experience as an extra set of eyes and ears in your development process.

CONTRACT A FRACTIONAL CMO

Get the benefit of someone who's been there and done that. Contract us for a full assessment of your marketing organization, platform and activities. We'll identify your strengths as well as your challenges and give you a solid game plan for moving onward and upward. We'll even help you resource new, permanent team members to stabilize your business.

HOW WE CAME TO BE

About 16 years ago, in Bangkok, a brash young American Hotel Design and Marketing Executive (Brendan McNamara) met an impossibly stylish and talented Danish creative agency owner (Nils Larsen). The two became fast friends realizing they saw the world through a very similar lens.

Today, the two work together, surrounded by other kindred spirits, all with a slightly subversive sensibility. They call themselves The Dissidents and, altogether, represent more than 100 years of experience in design, marketing and communications for the hospitality industry.

The company was founded by Brendan McNamara, a New York-based born and bred hotelier, designer and marketeer with 25 year track-record creating and building luxury and lifestyle brands. Unearthing ways to attract new customers and strengthen the bond with existing loyalists, in lock step with consumer tastes, is at the core of his skill set. Nils Larsen, a multimedia designer and artist based in Copenhagen, joined the team as a Partner in 2018 to expand the group's reach across markets.

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