We think big. When we ask, “what if,” we mean it. When our clients ask, “when,” we love it. We accept no limits and know no fear. Here’s what that’s gotten us into lately.
Very rarely does a client ask for a total branding makeover. More often, our partners have some components of their brand in place, but lack a compelling visual context for them. Johnson Properties, a major resort realtor, had invested in a strong logo design, but placed it in contexts such as “pub-set” ads, co-op brochures and rudimentary outdoor. Strategy, mission, even tactical direction seemed lacking.
Thousands of companies roll out millions of innovative products every year, but only a tiny percentage succeed. Why? Rarely is a company in sync with both the marketplace and technology. So when a southern California research and development company with both advanced products and market smarts approached USFI to craft a complete brand identity from the ground up, we knew the challenge of communicating its identity, USP and mission would be significant.
![The "Key" Challenge of Hospitality](http://www.usfi.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/content-preview/the_key_challenge.jpg "The "Key" Challenge of Hospitality")
Hotels and resorts are always looking for unique ways to cross-sell amenities and cross-promote other properties within their brand with low-cost, but high-impact marketing vehicles.
As a rule, premier hotel management companies don’t like to talk about their success on behalf of investors in hard numbers. But one USFI client is a major exception to that “rule.” SHM's success, year over year, was a growing phenomenon that would have attracted new investor groups by the dozens – if the client had managed to let anyone know. But the company’s branding had grown stale; hey, it happens. The logo, the surrounding messaging, the printed materials and website – all were irrelevant to the company our client had become.
So, when your international hotel chain’s brand identity is always refined, cosmopolitan and understatedly luxurious, how do you adapt to the glitz and over-the-top hype that is Las Vegas, without being overwhelmed by it? That was the challenge of Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas' opening in December 2009. How to be tasteful in the neon capital of the world? How to symbolize, at a glance, that this property was unique, tranquil and beautiful?
MetroPCS, the nation's fastest-growing prepaid mobile telecommunications provider, presented USFI with an inspiring challenge – to refresh their website, with its deep e-commerce, geo-location and multiple landing pages, within one week with no disruption of service. The client had a general look for the main pages, several new pages, and a number of new navigation criteria to follow.