THE WATERMAN
Travel & Tourism
Services
Brand Identity
Market Positioning
Competitive Analysis
The Waterman, a chic Santa Barbara boutique hotel, is an ideal candidate for comprehensive rebranding. Situated in Santa Barbara’s vibrant arts district, The Waterman’s current online presence and branding fail toconvey its prime location or neighborhood aesthetic.
By leveraging our full suite of branding and marketing services, we can completely revitalize The Waterman’s digital presence and reinvigorate its identity. Our solutions highlight the sought-after Funk Zone locale and
showcase the hotel as an embodiment of Santa Barbara’s vibrant arts and culture scene. We can significantly boost brand visibility, drive direct bookings, and elevate the unique, refreshing allure of the property.
CHALLENGE
The Waterman, a chic Santa Barbara boutique hotel, is an ideal candidate for comprehensive rebranding. Situated in Santa Barbara’s vibrant arts district, The Waterman’s current online presence and branding fail toconvey its prime location or neighborhood aesthetic. By leveraging our full suite of branding and marketing services, we can completely revitalize The Waterman’s digital presence and reinvigorate its identity. Our solutions highlight the sought-after Funk Zone locale and showcase the hotel as an embodiment of Santa Barbara’s vibrant arts and culture scene. We can significantly boost brand visibility, drive direct bookings, and elevate the unique, refreshing allure of the property.
INSIGHTS
In-depth research confirms the Funk Zone’s expanding popularity for its breweries, wine-tasting rooms,
diverse shops, and restaurants. Competitive analysis reveals properly leveraging the vibrant locale could
better attract target guests seeking local flavor and experience.
The Waterman currently lags behind competitors in integrating the desirable location into its website and
broader digital presence. Refreshed branding and visuals have the potential to authentically reflect the
desired funky, fresh aesthetic. However, content and messaging must be tailored based on data-driven
insights into target audiences’ needs and preferences when selecting boutique hotel accommodations in
vibrant destinations like Santa Barbara.
SOLUTION
Lively branding that embraces the energy of The Funk Zone is the key to visitors choosing The Waterman over other boutique hotels offering a comparable experience. We developed a brand identity and visual assets that speak to the boutique hotel’s vibrant, artistic vibe. A key factor in our solutions for The Waterman is an entirely rebranded website that prominently showcases the Funk Zone’s unique attractions and optimizes the user experience. The website would highlight amenities, local attractions, and the lively Funk Zone locale.
Additionally we recommend posting engaging content across social media platforms, focused on Santa Barbara, including local artists, galleries, events, restaurants and other neighborhood favorites. Consistently posting engaging arts, culture, dining, and neighborhood content on social platforms would help nurture an organic, loyal following among target guests. Email marketing provides tremendous opportunity for boutique hotels like The Waterman to foster direct relationships with past guests, inviting them back through exclusive offers and personalized recommendations based on previous stays.
Refreshed lifestyle photography and videography would better capture the ambiance of the property and surrounding neighborhood. This would create a more cohesive look across all touchpoints.
Targeted digital promotions to arts-minded travelers would help drive direct bookings and increase brand visibility.
This integrated strategy rooted in our research could significantly boost interest, website traffic, and direct bookings by authentically aligning The Waterman Hotel with those looking to explore Santa Barbara’s sought after Funk Zone.
Creative
FUNKY FRESH
The refreshed color palette for The Waterman should embrace bold, vibrant hues that reflect the funky energy and artistic spirit of the Funk Zone neighborhood.
A focal point of the rebrand was creating a new logo and icon that popped with the vibrant essence of the Funk Zone. The logo design incorporated
bold, eye-catching colors that exuded the artistic vibe of the neighborhood.
We developed a contemporary logo mark and monogram icon that acted as a memorable visual shorthand for The Waterman brand.
Vibrant Gradient Overlays
The rebrand photography prominently features vibrant, funky gradient overlays that inject the images with the bold, artistic spirit emblematic of the Funk Zone and The Waterman aesthetic. We utilized the custom-illustrated Santa Barbara and Funk Zone map as a branding touchpoint, overlaying it on lifestyle photography, environmental signage, and printed collateral to spotlight and celebrate the boutique hotel’s vibrant surroundings.
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