Premier Inn hires digital agency for social media blitz

Hotel chain Premier Inn is aiming to boost its digital presence with the appointment of Born Social as its social agency of record, following a three-way competitive pitch.

The partnership will see Born Social deliver a long-term social-first strategy to support Premier Inn’s ambition to become one of Britain’s most loved hotel brands.

The agency, which succeeds The Social Shepherd, will be responsible for defining the brand’s social territory, building a strategic roadmap, and producing always-on content plans, covering creative development, production, design, and community management.

The partnership aims to help modernise the hotel chain’s brand on social, appeal to new audiences and strengthen its cultural relevance.

Premier Inn already has strong national recognition and now aims to strengthen its share of voice on social media, compared to key competitors.

The brief centres on making Premier Inn front-of-mind for younger audiences by embedding the brand in everyday social culture; defining a single-minded, ownable and instantly recognisable social idea; and building a presence powered by what people are already talking about online.

A key focus for Born Social will be developing a creative direction grounded in Premier Inn’s “sleep-obsessed” DNA and shaped by community behaviour. The agency will also support Premier Inn through a wider brand reframing and upcoming visual refresh, ensuring social plays a central role in this next chapter.

The first wave of activity will launch immediately with the introduction of a new organic social direction. This work will take a more community-led, distinctive and single-minded approach built around the brand’s “sleep-obsessed” positioning, followed by an ongoing cadence of monthly content and community management.

Premier Inn group marketing director Louise Nickson said: “We’re at an exciting moment of evolution, and we needed a partner who could help us translate our brand’s distinctiveness into a social presence that truly resonates.

“Born Social impressed us with their strategic clarity and their ability to define sleep as a strong, ownable and culturally led idea, perfect for Premier Inn. Their single-minded approach, deep understanding of social behaviours and collaborative way of working made them the perfect fit to join our wider agency group. We’re excited to bring a fresh chapter of Premier Inn to life together.”

Born Social chief executive Ben Tyson added: “Premier Inn is loved up and down the country, and now wants to cement its place in culture and build true community relevance. That’s where we do our best work. This win is a testament to the strength of our social-first approach and our team’s ability to bring brands closer to the communities they serve. We can’t wait to get started and help pass that love on to the next generation.”

Born Social will work closely with Premier Inn’s retained creative, media and PR partners, including Leo Burnett, OMD, Law Creative and Golin, to ensure alignment across the wider marketing ecosystem.