Hospitality
W HOTELS
From Wonderland to Worldwide
Global Brand Indentity • Corporate Identity • Style Guide • Marketing • Collateral • On Property Collateral • Advertising Collateral • Brand Videos • OS&E • SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING • Website Design
When W Hotels came to RDA, they were a small a collection of boutique hotels with a big aspiration: to go global. Working on everything from keycards to major campaigns, we helped W become the iconic worldwide force it is today.
IT STARTS WITH A STRONG IDENTITY
Before the brand could spread out into the world, we needed to look inward. Who were we? What were our passions? What did we stand for? To answer all of these questions, we developed W’s brand bible, creating passion points, iconography, tone of voice, patterns, colors … you name it, we made it.
DESIGNING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE
Once we developed the brand identity, we brought it to life inside the hotel. Not only did we create all of the hotel’s collateral, we carefully crafted its culture as well. From the “Whatever/ Whenever” concierge service, to the design of the spaces, to the music that filled the air, we helped the brand feel every bit as compelling as it looked.
“WELCOME TO WONDERLAND” GLOBAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES
With the look and feel of the brand fully developed, we were finally ready to say hello to the world. The only challenge was how to say it in a universal language that everyone would understand. Taking a visual approach, “Welcome to Wonderland” introduced the globe to the sexy, whimsical world of W Hotels in a way that did not need words to translate.
“WARMTH OF COOL” CAMPAIGN REINFORCES VISION
To follow up on the success of our “Wonderland” concept, we took inspiration from Alice and stared into the looking glass. The “Warmth of Cool” campaign showcased the range of W’s portfolio styles and immersive nature of the properties to create intrigue around the spaces. Each ad was shot on-location.
A GLOBAL ICON IS BORN
What started as a handful of national boutique hotels has now become a global force with over 80 properties. Known the world over for its seductive scene, the success of W Hotels inspired its parent company, Starwood, to create Aloft Hotels, a select service brand inspired by the vision of W Hotels. Naturally, we worked with Starwood to develop Aloft Hotels from the ground up.