Joining brands on the journey.
When you think about the world’s most successful, enduring businesses, one thing is undeniably true: they evolve. So it’s only natural—and necessary—that their brand storytelling would also shift to align with their new vision and values.
These strategic, incremental changes to a brand may sound less exciting than collaborating on the launch of a fresh, new concept. Yet we have actually found that many of our most rewarding projects are with established businesses that have only recently grown into a place of nuance and maturity.
In this edition of Cognoscenti Quarterly, we dive into the brand evolution of three different hospitality businesses: a hotel we branded upon opening and are revisiting six years later; a restaurant and inn seeking to go beyond the industry standard for brand storytelling; and a pop-up restaurant concept that is finally ready to put down some roots.
If you find echoes of your own business experience in these stories, we’d love to chat. It’s never too late to reimagine your company’s public presence, and we pride ourselves on customizing the branding process to fit every client’s unique phase of growth.
SURF HOTEL
Buena Vista, Colorado
Website Copywriting + Creative Direction
If you’ve been following our work for a while, you’ve heard about the Surf Hotel. We’ve been working with the developers and operators behind this project since they broke ground, and it was the first hotel we branded as a creative studio. Fast forward six years, and this property has expanded to include three distinct hotel concepts, an onsite restaurant and two concert venues, as well as managing dozens of local home and apartment rentals. Unsurprisingly—given all these changes—the original website we created for the hotel was ready for a refresh.
This project was also an opportunity for us to explore foundational questions like: How do we define the hotel’s personality—both setting and exceeding guest expectations? What makes Buena Vista (and the South Main neighborhood) unique among other Colorado mountain towns? How can we better facilitate a meaningful experience for independent travelers? We’re incredibly proud of the in-depth work we did with their team (with a special shoutout to developer Rob Scott!) to help reimagine the Surf Hotel’s brand identity, and we know this project is just another meaningful step in the continued growth and development of the South Main community.
COPPER VINE
New Orleans, Louisiana
Brand Book Copywriting + Design
We recently shared our comprehensive rebranding work for Copper Vine—a Central Business District bar, restaurant and (new!) upstairs inn housed within an iconic landmark building. Yet as the team prepared to publicly launch the inn, they were seeking a more compelling way to share their story with both strategic partners and the media. In turn, we were commissioned to create an editorial-inspired brand booklet that spoke to the property’s history, hospitality philosophy, landscaping, artwork and event spaces.
Creating this immersive introduction to the brand was a fairly novel experience. Most often, we create gorgeous, in-depth investor or brand decks that are only seen by a property’s ownership and operations team. But by creating a public-facing asset that showcases the intentionality and attention to detail that defines the guest experience at Copper Vine, we generated a unique opportunity to proactively shape the way their story will be told in publications or on channels far beyond the client’s own online presence.
MONARCH
Denver, Colorado
Brand Copywriting, Logo Refresh + Brand Guidelines
On a different end of the brand lifecycle, Monarch co-founders Danny Matthews and Chef Justin Freeman had yet to open a brick-and-mortar location. After gaining an initial following for their pop-up restaurant events throughout Denver, we met with the pair as they were beginning to consider building out a permanent space for their business.
What was clear to us, immediately, was that while Monarch would be a new restaurant, both of these founders were seasoned pros. As the owner of a successful barbershop and retail store (as well as a former hotel manager) and a former NYC chef who had already helmed the kitchens of some of Denver’s most outstanding restaurants, Danny and Justin (respectively) knew both the market and their audience. Our job—as early brand partners—was to set the foundation for their continued success through copywriting for pitching strategic partners, messaging for a web landing page and a refinement of their existing visual brand that would allow for the creation of additional assets.
CULTURE STUDY ⊹ Central Coast, California
Over the past year, we’ve both taken trips to the Central Coast of California, exploring the region’s rugged coastline, undervalued wines and farm-fresh (or catch-of-the-day!) restaurants. Our interest in the area was initially sparked by copywriting work Carly had done for three celebrated hospitality brands: Bell’s, Bar Le Côte and Chez Noir. But what we discovered upon arrival was even more transportive than we had hoped. Rather than a touristy stretch of coastline, the natural beauty and grounded charm of Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Cambria, Los Olivos and Santa Barbara truly took us by surprise. While this part of California is far from untraveled, a preservationist ethos seemed to protect each destination—driven by a deep pride in the quality of local ingredients, the value of human craftsmanship and an appreciation for a slower pace of life. It almost felt like an undiscovered gem in the midst of a creative renaissance, with boutique hotels, artisan businesses and award-winning restaurants popping up in somewhat unexpected places.
WORK IN PROGRESS: LAYERS & LINES
Over the last two years, we’ve worked with a rapidly increasing number of architects, interior designers and fabricators in (and beyond!) the Denver market, and we couldn’t be more excited about our latest collaboration. Since founding their residential interior design company—Layers & Lines—in 2016, founders Kim and Molly had built a portfolio of awe-inspiring homes, yet their busy schedules hadn’t allowed for a refresh of their original brand. We just wrapped a comprehensive branding project with these inspiring entrepreneurs, and can’t wait to feature this work on a newly designed website that better articulates and showcases their unique design perspective. More to come!
EDITORIAL: EDIBLE COMMUNITIES
Agrivoltaics Offer a Thriving Partnership Between Solar Development and Agriculture
“It’s no secret that American farms are struggling. Yet few of us realize that renewable energy initiatives are among the immediate threats to the future of our agricultural land. Since 1980, American Farmland Trust (AFT) has led research into the state of U.S. farms and ranches, measuring a staggering loss of over 11 million acres to various development sectors within the last quarter century. As energy projections anticipate another 10 million acres being adapted for solar infrastructure by 2050, AFT’s Smart Solar℠ initiative seeks to reimagine the relationship between these two industries as a partnership, rather than a zero-sum game.” [Read more]