Travel/Hospitality

CASE STUDY

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Refreshing a brand experience to be more relevant for the next generation

Challenge

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (HLC) is a leading luxury cruise company, renowned for its fleet of five cruise ships, including the 23-year-old EUROPA. According to the Berlitz Cruise Guide, EUROPA has been the best cruise ship in the world since its launch, embodying the classic luxury favored by the traditional social elite. This includes festive etiquette, evening wear, fellowship among peers at fixed group tables and impressive furnishings. 

However, HLC recognized that the luxury market and the preferences of guests and potential new customers are evolving. To maintain the high standards of EUROPA and modernize its appeal, HLC partnered with Prophet for a comprehensive development of its brand, experience and marketing. The goal was to preserve the ship’s soul, hospitality and personalized service while adapting to contemporary luxury trends. 

Solutions

The project began with 360-degree market research, including surveying employees and existing and prospective customers. The team identified tourism and lifestyle trends and analyzed the competition. 

Based on the research findings, a current understanding of the target group and strategic growth options were defined, developed, evaluated and prioritized. This data-driven approach led to a clear reorientation, with the management and team defining “Cool Conservatism” as the new guiding principle for EUROPA. 

Next, the product and marketing strategy was developed. The EUROPA REFRESH program was introduced to address the needs and desires of modern cruise passengers, focusing on fitness, health and relaxation. The emphasis was on promoting a mindful lifestyle and holistic well-being. 

Marketing efforts were also revamped. The new imagery and tone communicated EUROPA’s “Cool Conservatism” concept across all relevant touchpoints to both existing and new customers. 

Finally, the new product concept was implemented throughout the organization via a comprehensive change management process. 

Results

The comprehensive realignment allowed EUROPA to stay competitive in the luxury segment. The ship now presents itself in a more modern and casual manner, consistently embodying the new target image. The organization can rely on the in-depth target group knowledge developed during the project, ensuring a customer and needs-oriented approach. 

CASE STUDY

JetBlue

Sending an iconic airline and true challenger brand soaring into the future  

Challenge

JetBlue, a prominent U.S. airline, was founded with the grand ambition of challenging other established carriers. Based on the promise of excellent, affordable service, JetBlue consistently offers customers a better way to travel. 

Despite being known for its distinctive wit and irreverent spirit, the company’s visual identity had grown tired, having travelled a few too many miles without a meaningful rebrand since its initial launch. JetBlue no longer reflected how its employees and travellers saw the carrier, nor did it capture what made the brand special. To address this, JetBlue engaged Prophet to refresh its brand and better reflect its competitive edge in the airline industry.   

Solutions

We evaluated each touchpoint in the JetBlue experience, assessing the airline’s existing identity and market positioning. Initially, our focus was on re-energizing JetBlue’s day-to-day marketing communications. However, through close collaboration with the JetBlue team, it became clear that a more comprehensive approach was needed.

Our scope expanded, and we embarked on crafting a holistic vision for the brand’s future. Together, we developed and launched a completely revitalized JetBlue brand identity. 

Our scope expanded, and we embarked on crafting a holistic vision for the brand’s future. Together, we developed and launched a completely revitalized JetBlue brand identity. 

Results

The ambitious rebranding initiative has positioned JetBlue for its next stage of growth and demonstrates its ongoing dedication to innovation. Entering a transitional year with an invigorated visual identity, this strategic shift has already led to increased customer interest and conversion. JetBlue continues to challenge industry norms, redefining what customers can expect from a cost-conscious airline. And this differentiating spirit is now beautifully reflected in the new brand identity and the plane liveries. 

Re-asserting JetBlue’s challenger spirit

Our idea centered on a core truth at the heart of the brand: its challenger spirit and character. Every creative decision was made to vividly bring this unique personality to life. 

“JetBlue’s brand is synonymous with irreverence and personality, yet its identity wasn’t fully embodying these traits. Our mission was to bring this back at a time when the company was preparing itself for its next stage of growth.”  

Andres Nicholls 
Global Executive Creative Director  
Prophet

An expression of joy

A joyful, fun and contemporary brand expression came together through an enhancement of their colour, type and imagery. A system that gave the brand flex and the ability to play, delivering genuine brand moments that put a smile on customer’s faces.

Wit, positivity and plenty of carry-on character

Tone of voice has always been a key differentiator for JetBlue. We meticulously crafted every element of the visual identity system to amplify that voice. It’s designed to be flexible and seamlessly adapting to the practical requirements of each touchpoint, ensuring the effective delivery of JetBlue’s distinctive writing style. From the typeface to the color palette and copy, every aspect communicates with humor, capturing JetBlue’s youthful energy and positivity.

Illustration that tells a story 

Collaborating with Ben Wiseman, we crafted playful illustrations that narrate travel stories and provide imaginative perspectives. Ranging from the whimsical to the extraordinary, they express concepts that can’t always be captured through photography alone – providing yet another way for JetBlue to stand apart from the crowd. 

Imagery captures moments we love 

We’ve all encountered the typical, overly polished destination images. Our approach was to capture those authentic micro-moments that resonate with customers. By keeping imagery simple, subtle and uncluttered, our marketing becomes more relatable – without falling into clichés. 

Created to drive impact 

JetBlue’s new designs aim to turn heads, make a statement and elevate every moment of the experience. Setting an ambitious vision from the outset, Prophet and JetBlue have reshaped the brand expression into one that honors the past while preparing the carrier for its next phase of growth. The rollout continues across many of JetBlue’s primary marketing and communication channels.

Reimagining JetBlue’s liveries  

The project also evolved to include a redesign of JetBlue’s commercial livery. The reimagined identity and updated livery honor JetBlue’s legacy by retaining recognizable tailfin patterns, now extending beyond the tailfin to envelop the entire rear fuselage, ensuring maximum brand impact, visible both in the skies and at the gates.  

“Opportunities like this don’t come around very often. Guiding transformative change for an iconic brand like JetBlue, working so closely with their team, has been a privilege. The company is on an exciting journey and being part of it has been a phenomenal experience.” 

Chris Benson 
Associate Creative Director
Prophet

Launching JetBlue to the world  

The first of the new designs took flight in the second half of 2023, heralding the beginning of JetBlue’s fleet-wide transformation. We’re proud of how we helped make the fleet bolder. Bluer. Newer.

CASE STUDY

China United Airlines

Transforming the brand experience to new heights and journeys abound 

Challenge

Following a merger and transformation to position itself as a mass-market and low-cost airline in 2014, China United Airlines (China United) achieved rapid business growth, transporting over 10 million passengers every year. As one of the first airlines to be relocated to Beijing’s Daxing Airport, China United has maintained exceptional operations that ensure high quality and safety, reaching all four of its key objectives. China United’s successful launch at the Daxing Airport marks a new chapter of its journey as a key player in China’s aviation industry. 

Striving to provide its customers with diverse and affordable flight options, China United continued its transformation through its data strategy and product innovation. With this ambition, the airline wanted to further inject energy and momentum into its brand, propelling the company to elevate its passenger experience. 

To achieve its vision of becoming a trusted and preferred airline by all stakeholders, China United partnered with Prophet to refresh its brand identity and end-to-end customer experience. 

Solutions

Our team set out to create a distinctive and ownable brand identity for China United. We began by diving into the unique brand DNA and uncovered two distinctive equities:  

  • Diversity: China United brings people together with diverse travel destinations and experiences, giving travelers a variety of choices and options to make their journeys special. 
  • Energy: From past to future, China United is constantly evolving for the betterment of our communities, passengers, and employees, thanks to its collaborative and efficient culture. 

Prophet translated these unique equities into a brand-new design direction “Evolving travel”. Building upon the design direction, we crafted a new brand logo with a kinetic logomark and its Chinese logotype. We also curated a distinctive brand palette and typographic style, developed a travel photography style fused with the warmth and romance of magic hours, and created a series of applications throughout the passenger journey. The brand’s fresh visual identity expertly uses dynamic lines to capture the vibrant energy and fluid motion of the China United brand. 

Prophet translated these unique equities into a brand-new design direction “Evolving travel”. Building upon the design direction, we crafted a new brand logo with a kinetic logomark and its Chinese logotype. We also curated a distinctive brand palette and typographic style, developed a travel photography style fused with the warmth and romance of magic hours, and created a series of applications throughout the passenger journey. The brand’s fresh visual identity expertly uses dynamic lines to capture the vibrant energy and fluid motion of the China United brand. 

Results

Our work to transform the China United brand supercharged the airline’s ambition to offer a world-class end-to-end customer experience, breathing new life into the passenger journey. From new check-in experiences to new inflight amenities and captivating livery designs, the dynamic visual identity enables China United to create more delightful moments for its customers and employees.  

Creating the New Brand Logo

The new brand logo is designed based on the alphabet “C” for China United Airlines. The sleek contours of the letter “C” embody the excitement and thrill of takeoff, symbolizing the wings of boundless freedom in flight. The use of dynamic, circular lines not only signifies a continuous journey but also represents the spirit of exploration and innovation that drives the airline forward, capturing the essence of China United’s commitment to delivering exceptional travel experiences. 

Defining Distinctive and Impactful Brand Colors

In a departure from conventional industry norms, our selection of high contrast and saturated colors brings a fresh and distinctive allure to the brand. This unconventional palette injects life into our design, leaving a lasting impression that is both impactful and unmistakably unique.  

Transforming the End-to-End Passenger Journey

We helped to prepare for the application of the new visual identity throughout the passenger journey from online to offline (O2O), ensuring a unified brand experience, creating a cohesive and elevated visual language across the touchpoints. 

Constantly Evolving 

China United is dynamic and continually evolving. From its past to its future, transitioning from a low-cost airline to a world-class economy carrier, Prophet has helped China United in its constant evolvement for the benefit of society, passengers, and employees. 

Discover More 

In the bustling Beijing Daxing International Airport, China United proudly serves tens of millions of passengers with exceptional quality. Prophet played an important role in infusing visual experiences and thoughtful touchpoints that seamlessly guide and delight customers throughout their journey with China United. 

“The upgraded brand logo and visual identity of China United Airlines have imbued the organization with renewed energy and momentum, driving us to constantly improve our services in order to create wonderful travel experiences for our passengers.” 

China United Airlines

CASE STUDY

Josun Hotels & Resorts

Creating a winning brand portfolio strategy

Background

Established in 1914, Josun Hotel has become an exemplary hospitality brand, transforming into the current Josun Hotels & Resorts while maintaining its original “First & Best” mentality. 

In a market where new entrants have raised the bar on hospitality, Josun Hotels & Resorts wanted to position its brands at the forefront of hospitality experiences in South Korea. Prophet worked closely with Josun to create an independent portfolio of brands, each targeting different consumer groups.

Approach

Prophet helped Josun Hotels & Resorts define a winning brand portfolio that captures distinct opportunities in the Korean travel market, with clearly defined roles and relationships for each of their hospitality brands. Understanding that each hospitality brand needs to meet the unique needs of Josun’s varied audiences, fresh insights were uncovered to define distinctive concepts for each brand. Through extensive research, expert interviews and in-depth audits, we created a hybrid brand architecture with a series of flagship brands with reimagined concepts appealing to different target audiences in Korea. 

Each hotel brand is tied to its unique idea, name and story that delivers a hospitality experience like no other. L’Escape was born for those who wish to get away from reality and create their own dreams and fantasies, a true Parisian escape in the heart of Seoul. Gravity was created to become a thriving social hub for Millennials, a center of gravity in the community to foster creativity, collaboration and inspiration that blends work and play together. Combining Josun’s legacy with fresh modernity, Grand Josun reflects a refined sensibility for premium customer experiences while catering to families. Lastly, Josun Palace represents the group’s highest-grade luxury offering, encapsulating the key essence of the hotel’s heritage and appealing to “The Cultured Connoisseur.”

We brought the different brand strategies to life by carefully crafting distinctive visual identities for each hotel. We also developed complete branding concepts for some of the food and beverage offerings within the hotels. 

Impact

The four new hotel offerings by Josun Hotels & Resorts – L’Escape, Gravity, Grand Josun and Josun Palace – were subsequently launched between 2018 and 2021 to great success. The optimized portfolio and architecture strategy maximized revenues across the brands and serves as a growth engine for the group, unlocking new possibilities in its journey to become a global hospitality brand.  

Our work with Josun Hotels & Resorts received critical acclaim including multiple awards from Transform Magazine’s Transform Awards Asia [1][2][3].

L’ESCAPE

Creating a Parisian escape in the heart of Seoul

SEE OUR WORK

GRAVITY

From hotel to Millennial experience hub

SEE OUR WORK

GRAND JOSUN

Extending the Josun heritage to create a premium hotel brand for families

SEE OUR WORK

JOSUN PALACE

Creating a luxurious hotel brand under a winning portfolio

SEE OUR WORK

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CASE STUDY

Grand Josun

Extending the Josun heritage to create a premium hotel brand for families

Challenge

Josun Hotels & Resorts was facing competition from new entrants that raised the bar on luxury hospitality in the South Korean market. During its separation from the Starwood Hotel brands, Josun Hotels & Resorts had ambitious plans for growth.

Prophet first partnered with the client’s teams to create a cohesive brand portfolio strategy that leveraged the Josun name, provided a level of cohesion and integrity and maintained its distinctiveness within its portfolio. Having created a rejuvenated brand identity for Josun Palace, the group’s highest-grade luxury offering, Prophet worked with the hospitality group to create a new premium family-oriented hotel.

Solutions

We started with understanding the real needs of Josun Hotels & Resorts’ varied audiences which included families with kids, young couples and business travelers. Insights into these pain points helped to inform what experiences its hotels needed to deliver to its audiences. Based on these insights, we created the new family-oriented hotel brand Grand Josun.

We clarified the brand’s unique distinction as a pioneer and leader in South Korea’s hospitality landscape, crafting its brand positioning as “Reimagining a heritage of excellence”. Combining both Josun’s legacy with fresh modernity, we took its signature customer service and infused the brand with new moments of delightful discovery throughout the customers’ stay, with a refined sensibility that is always balanced, intuitive and multi-sensorial.

The strategy came to life with a variety of new activation programs, amenities, F&B, design and service elements tailored to meet the distinct and high expectations of the audience. We created unique signature elements such as Josun Junior, a comprehensive offering that creates a memorable holiday experience for children to explore their creative energy, discover lifelong skills, and connect with the destination they are in. Another signature program that was rolled out was the Lending Library, a hassle-free supply for everything a guest may need at a hotel whether on business or for family.

Next, Prophet created a visual system that brought the bespoke and delightful experiences of Grand Josun to life, speaking to the heritage of “Josun” with a modern twist. The symbol is a carefully crafted monogram paired with a classic modern typeface and complemented by contemporary and balanced hues of emerald, natural and light secondary colors and copper accents. We also created a cohesive color and textural palette to communicate a warm, natural environment that allows families to feel both comforted and energized while reflecting the refined sensibilities of the brand. The “terrazzo” pattern was incorporated both in the overall hotel as well as modified for the kids to create a cohesive but also tailored experience.

Results

Grand Josun was successfully launched in Jeju and Busan in 2020. Many of the signature experience ideas we created, including the Josun Kids program and Lending Library, have been successfully implemented with outstanding reviews.

The addition of Grand Josun hotels not only expanded Josun Hotels & Resorts’ reach in the South Korean travel market but is also expected to be a new growth engine for the group, unlocking new possibilities in its journey to become a global hospitality brand.

And, our work with Grand Josun hotels received recognition from Transform Magazine’s Transform Awards Asia 2022, earning bronze in the Best Visual Identity from the Sports, Travel, Leisure and Tourism Sector.

CASE STUDY

Josun Palace

Creating a luxurious hotel brand under a winning portfolio

Challenge

Established in 1914, Josun Hotel has become an exemplary brand in hospitality, transforming into the current Josun Hotels & Resorts yet maintaining the original “First & Best” mentality that it originated with.

In a market where new entrants have raised the bar on luxury hospitality, Josun Hotels & Resorts wanted to position its brands at the forefront of hospitality experiences in South Korea. It was in the process of separating from the Starwood Hotels brand and came to Prophet for help creating an independent portfolio of brands.

Solutions

Our teams first defined a winning portfolio by sizing the South Korean travel market and conducting customer segmentation. With a hybrid brand architecture, we went on to create relevant flagship brands, with Josun Palace being the luxury namesake label. We focused on its flagship offerings and aimed to redefine the luxury and lifestyle hotel experience in Korea. 

Our brand strategy was built to appeal to the sensibility and finesse of Josun Palace’s target audience – “The Cultured Connoisseur.” To speak to this audience, three experience principles were created from Josun’s unique DNA and heritage but also focused on remaining relevant to today’s and tomorrow’s target consumers. The “Josun Touch” principal marks Josun’s quality service standards that guests have always come to expect. The “European Sophistication” principle demonstrates how the brand has always been inspired by global design, culture and lifestyle while providing a comfortable introduction to the Korean travel market. The “Timeless Innovation” principle demonstrates that good experiences with high-end technology should be felt but not seen.

We then developed a draft of a future-state guest experience map to guide a focused collaborative exploration of potential signature touchpoints. This was followed by a hierarchy containing distinct levels of signature experiences.

With this in place, the three principles came to life in the creation of a bespoke and crafted crest symbol that brings the unique heritage and symbology of Josun in perfect balance with sophisticated European visual cues. The symbol reflects the premium stature for its luxury brand with a custom modernized serif logotype that highlights the iconic Josun name, referring to Korea’s royal dynasty.

This modernized classic logo is supported by a light and modern set of visual elements including a sans serif typeface, P22, in a variety of weights along with lighter pastel color palette and graphic elements that complement the strong logo and its chiseled font.

Results

The rejuvenated Josun Palace was launched in May 2021, welcoming guests around the world and elevating its customer experience across all touchpoints. The optimized portfolio and architecture strategy has maximized revenues across the group’s existing brands. Additionally, the portfolio strategy left room for future growth, enabling the group to effectively add new brands in support of local expansion.

The new brand identity of Josun Palace encapsulated the key essence of the hotel’s heritage while ensuring that it was distinctive in its own way among other flagship brands. Prophet was successful in launching a prestigious brand with five-star reviews and part of the Marriott Autograph collection.

And, our work with Josun Palace was recognized by Transform Magazine in the Transform Awards Asia 2022, winning bronze for the category of Best Visual Identity from the Sports, Travel, Leisure and Tourism Sector. It also was mentioned as highly commended for the Best Creative Strategy category.

CASE STUDY

Marriott International

Expanding Marriott Bonvoy® to drive engagement with families

Challenge

Marriott International, already a leading brand for business travel, is dedicated to improving its reputation as a family-friendly destination in APAC. It’s expanding its Marriott Bonvoy® offers to include explorations and experiences that kids dream about.

And while reaching parents is important, driving engagement with kids is essential. Prophet had previously worked with Marriott to create its successful M Passport program, which lets kids collect stamps and stickers at resorts and urban properties and then trade them for perks like ice cream and local souvenirs. Marriott wanted to find additional ways to connect with its youngest guests, creating brand-led experiences that would work across the entire portfolio. Besides building on family-friendly amenities, such as guaranteed adjoining rooms and early check-ins, it wanted to make kids jump for joy.

Solutions

Nothing is as welcoming as a familiar face. So Prophet teamed up with the beloved children’s book series, Mr. MenTM & Little MissTM (MMLM), to further Marriott’s mission of raising adventurous world travelers. While the series includes more than 90 characters, we focused on finding the 10 that best align with Marriott’s values, including Mr. Brave and Little Miss Curious.

Prophet created a story behind each of the ten characters, introducing them to children even before arriving at the hotel. To bring the joys of travel to life with age-appropriate messages, we used plenty of digital activations meant to delight. Kids could add MMLM stickers to their WhatsApp messages, for example. And once they arrived on the property, they could create personalized e-post cards from the MMLM characters and find ideas for future family vacations. Besides offering fun and engagement for kids, the activation also created a cohesive visual system aimed at parents, helping them see Marriott as a welcoming place for family-friendly adventures.

Toys are an essential part of the experience, too. Families could collect the 10 customized MMLM plush dolls. And in some locations, Marriott offered families an exclusive thrill, meeting MMLM Author and Illustrator Adam Hargreaves.

Results

The Marriott Bonvoy® and Mr. MenTM & Little MissTM collaboration launched in the summer of 2019, encompassing more than 450 hotels and resorts throughout the region. And it offered a consistent experience for kids across all 13 Marriott brands.

Beyond driving engagement with families, the initiative provided opportunities for participating hotels and resorts to give families a warmer welcome as it expands into this important market. Besides raising incremental revenue, it also builds loyalty across the portfolio and supports key destinations, even as it helps parents raise the next generation of brave, curious and adventurous travelers.

CASE STUDY

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

Creating a customer experience that brings families together

Challenge

To win over leisure travelers in Asia, Sheraton wanted to offer an enriched experience specifically built for families. To do so, they developed Side by Side, a uniquely branded program, with dedicated activities & experiences that celebrate the gathering of families.

Solutions

The Prophet team supported Sheraton with the development of the Side by Side proposition and brand, including the development of the activity programming, a Chinese name for the program and visual assets – all of which assembled into a proof of concept (POC) toolkit to bring the program to life.

We conducted a co-creation workshop with Hotel GMs to develop a set of signature activities that multi-generational families could enjoy together. We then developed a distinct visual system, in keeping with the Sheraton brand, along with a detailed activity calendar and activation assets to guide the program piloting in four initial resorts.

Staying true to Sheraton’s positioning “The World’s Gathering Place,” we designed a visual identity system for the Side by Side program to convey the message of “togetherness” in a warm, fun, and modern way. The wordmark is paired with the symbol of holding hands, illustrating a universal gesture of gathering in an abstract form. While staying consistent with Sheraton’s master brand look and feel, Prophet’s creative team infused playful and fun elements into the Side by Side family program through a collection of simple line icons and graphic elements.

Results

The Side by Side program will be rolling out to all Sheraton properties Asia-wide after a successful proof-of-concept launch in 2020.

CASE STUDY

Gravity

From hotel to Millennial experience hub

Challenge

As part of their hotel growth plans, Josun Hotels and Resorts wanted to create a hotel that appealed to the Millennial generation whose needs and expectations for a hotel were shifting to meet their evolving lifestyles in Korea.

Solutions

Prophet worked closely with Josun to first define their target audience—who they were and what their wants and needs are in a hotel experience. We uncovered fresh insights about this target, who we called ”The Experience Maximizers.” They cross the three spheres of work, life and play seamlessly. They are highly tech-savvy, social seekers, community nomads who crave new and exciting experiences. Understanding this, we set out to create a hospitality destination that harnessed the growing desire to foster creative, collaborative and inspiring communities that blend work and play together.

The concept was to become a thriving social hub—a center of gravity in the community that provides open and flexible space for socializing, working, eating and shopping. The hotel would deliver this through flexible, multi-purpose spaces that evolve throughout the day, with curated programming that draws people in from the local community. The space would truly energize the community—whether it’s showcasing the works of local artists, holding a regular farmer’s market on the rooftop or hosting performances from favorite local bands.

Both the name “Gravity” and the logo we created with the directional “V” symbolize the concept of a modern hub and acts as a center for attraction and interest. The floating concept seen in the “V” is also brought through the black and white conceptual imagery of things that are floating in midair defying gravity. We brought the modern hub concept through thinking about their space, F&B, service, local content, curated programming of activities and unique partnerships.

Results

SJosun has recently opened the first Gravity hotel in Seoul, Dec 2020, and started to roll out some signature experiences including Gravity Time which features unique activities and premium dining as well as Gravity Tribe, that brings cultural and wellness programs, as well as opportunities for exchange among community members. The hotel is part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott.

CASE STUDY

Nam Nghi

Defining the brand story and experience for a Vietnamese luxury resort

Challenge

Nam Nghi, a boutique resort on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, is a beautifully designed hotel that is built on a secluded peninsula and with a private island. Despite its unique geographic assets, the property had difficulties standing out in the increasingly competitive hotel market on Phu Quoc island due to its inconsistent customer experience across touchpoints.

Nam Nghi engaged Prophet to closely examine its brand portfolio, develop a refreshed brand positioning and narrative, and ultimately completely redesign its identity system to fit the reimagined approach for the brand.

Solutions

Prophet’s experience in developing luxury hotel brands in Asia and around the globe has led to an understanding of key experience trends that are shaping the travel and hospitality category: hyper-local, eco-consciousness and bespoke experiences.

Prophet identified Nam Nghi’s unique geographic placement as the resort’s clear advantage in the market. The unspoiled Phu Quoc island is a hidden paradise; it boasts of colorful coral reefs, lush jungles, turquoise waters, white beaches and true Vietnamese hospitality.

As a result, we defined a unique and strong brand story for Nam Nghi – “Nurtured by Nature.” We positioned the property as a destination for eco-luxury travelers who crave world-class quality hospitality and authentic, one-of-a-kind experiences with minimal environmental impact.

Centered around the positioning, we further explored how we could bring the story to life across existing touchpoints, including gastronomy experience, hospitality services, range of activities and its signature private island. Moreover, we helped the client to create signature moments that enhance the brand positioning. For example, using reusable bottles filled with filtered water and electric cars for pick-up.

We then designed an identity that conveys the idea of “immersion in nature” using patterns and hand-drawn illustrations. The lush foliage and vibrant corals that surround Nam Nghi served as inspiration for a rhythmic pattern design that is artistic and hand made. Using icons that represent the local flora and corals, we designed bespoke illustrations that are used in the framing device design, pattern design and on-site offerings. Aside from comprehensive guidelines, we delivered designs and ideas for touchpoints ranging from in-room amenities to wellness outlets, as well as digital apps.

Results

Phu Quoc Island has become one of Asia’s most talked-about destinations and an international hub for luxury and eco-friendly tourism. We brought Nam Nghi to life through an immersive visual identity that conveys premium options, while telling a story about local culture and its commitment to nature. The brand rejuvenation appeals to the young affluent customers – fashionable, luxurious and eco-conscious, through a distinctive brand positioning and visual identity that is true to the hotel’s strengths.

Our work with Nam Nghi was awarded Silver for best visual identity at Transform Awards Asia-Pacific 2019.

CASE STUDY

M Passport

Designing the first signature family program for Marriott Hotels

Challenge

To capture a greater share of the growing leisure market in APAC, Marriott Hotels needed to shift its reputation from being viewed as reliable business travel accommodations, to desirable family-friendly destinations.

Through research, Prophet found that parents highly value the options for daily activities on their vacation. Even though Marriott Hotels across Asia were offering great activities for kids, the Marriott International brand wasn’t getting credit due to guests not attributing the programming back to the master brand. So, to win with families, Prophet needed to help Marriott Hotels boost its family hotel activities offerings and develop a clearer connection between kids activities and the Marriott International brand.

Solutions

We created M Passport, a program designed to engage and support children as they grow up while giving parents peace of mind that their children are having fun and learning along the way. M Passport is a kids-focused program that provides children with three key benefits – Brilliant Body, Brilliant Mind and Brilliant Heart aligning with the Marriott Hotel brand positioning of “Inspiring Brilliance”.

M Passport comes to life in a gift children receive upon arrival, a “passport” booklet where they collect stamps for completing activities that stimulate Mind, Body and Heart. Activities are categorized under each of the three key benefits, which have a corresponding stamp design. Stamps can then be redeemed for rewards, such as ice cream, cookies or a local souvenir. In addition to the booklet, children receive postcards to draw on and fill out stickers, and buttons to serve as souvenirs of their Marriott stay. The program is available to guests in both resort and urban properties, where the kids’ activities are customized accordingly. In resorts, many activities are done on-site, while urban properties offer a map of the city to allow exploration on property and immersion in the city around the hotel.

We designed a unique visual identity system for M Passport based on its key benefits and Marriott International’s brand positioning ‘Inspiring Brilliance’. The M Passport word mark, combined with the brand font, creates a ‘light bulb moment.’ While staying consistent with the Marriott International master brand, Prophet’s design teams added playful and fun elements through simple line illustrations that showcase local animals, icons and sceneries. The illustration style is based on the simplistic lines of the M Passport logo.

Building on the feedback and learnings from the proof-of-concept program at resorts, the visual identity system has recently been expanded to showcase a broader array of designs for urban properties, including imagery of Owen the Owl, the M Passport program mascot, on location at various historic APAC sites – from Sydney to China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and more.

Results

APAC became the first region to fully roll out this global program, beginning with a proof-of-concept in 2018, and now expanding to over 20 properties across APAC. The program has distributed over 15,000 copies of M Passport to Marriott’s little guests, generating 6,210+ M Passport package room night bookings, and driving more than 137.4 million total impressions and over 18.7 million reach. M Passport plans to roll out further across additional urban properties in 2021.

Impact

15k

Copies of M Passport delivered

6k

M Passport package room night bookings

CASE STUDY

Marriott

Creating a unique story and identity for Man Ho

Challenge

Marriott was looking to drive the reputation and revenue of Man Ho, its signature Cantonese restaurant in JW Marriott and Marriott hotels throughout Mainland China and Hong Kong. The restaurant needed a signature look and feel to help differentiate itself from other popular hotel restaurants. Prophet was tasked with creating a unique brand story and a refreshed visual identity to articulate Man Ho’s unique proposition.

Solutions

Prophet started by conducting interviews with the head chef and other key stakeholders to identify unique traits that aligned with Man Ho’s aspirations. Through an iterative approach, we developed a new brand positioning and story for Man Ho that was inspired by the idea of taking diners on a culinary journey through time, with Cantonese dishes that have been cultivated and refined from one generation to another.

The positioning was brought to life through a refreshed logo and identity system which juxtaposes tradition with contemporary color combinations. The bird-and-key logo represents the ancient carrier bird that transported messages and ideas from one person to another to symbolize the journey that the recipes have been on.  This is a strong symbol, representing how Man Ho unlocks the secret behind the ingredients that elevate Cantonese cuisine.

Prophet also art-directed professional photoshoots with real-life chefs at Man Ho to curate a set of photography that tells the stories behind Man Ho’s food. Visual applications and brand guidelines were also developed to ensure consistent execution of the brand identity.

Results

The new Man Ho brand positioning and visual identity is in the process of being implemented in properties across Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Our work with Marriott’s Man Ho was awarded bronze at Transform Awards Asia-Pacific 2019.

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