Service: Website Development

WINK HOTELS

OUR WORK

WINK HOTELS

Branding ‘Indochine 2.0’

Last Updated
September 19, 2019
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The creation of the Wink Hotels brand presented a new set of challenges for QUO. When we were approached by Vanguard Hospitality and Indochina Capital in 2016, we were not simply asked to develop a dynamic new Vietnamese hotel brand, we were also tasked with building real brand recognition across Vietnam long before the first Wink Hotel opened its doors. 

Here’s how we tackled one of our most exciting and rewarding projects to date.

SERVICES

Brand Culture
Brand Naming
Logo Design
Tone of Voice
Promotional Design
Website Development
Online Marketing

BRAND CULTURE

A New Concept for a New Vietnam

We started this branding journey as we always do—by building a culture and essence that defines the spirit of the brand. Our strategy team worked closely with our clients to decide where this new brand—which didn’t even have a name yet—should fit within the Vietnamese hospitality space.

We travelled to Vietnam to lead an intensive two-day workshop to unearth the answer. By the end the direction was clear. The new hotel brand would focus on the needs of a dynamic new generation of travellers while remaining underpinned by traditional Vietnamese values. From this, the brand’s ‘Indochine 2.0’ cultural essence was born.

Indochine 2.0 is inspired by the tenacity of the Indochine mentality, finding harmony between modernity, innovation, efficiency and the city vibe, ensuring guests leave with a vivid impression of the destination and the brand.

To help bring the brand to life, QUO’s strategy team developed a suite of touchpoints and experiences attuned to the needs of Indochine 2.0 travellers by tapping into contemporary desires and expectations. Inspired by traditional Indochine shophouses, our strategists imagined a hotel where work, life and relaxation could blend seamlessly together in one vibrant whole. This work-life dynamic was to be expressed with exciting features and touchpoints in Wink’s hotels, including multifunctional, multifaceted open-plan lobbies that offer entertainment, food and drink; a library and retail space; flexible minimalist-style guestrooms; intuitive in-room technology; well-equipped co-working spaces; and more.

BRAND NAMING

A Name for an In-the-know Brand

A vibrant new brand needed an energetic, playful name that would connect with the Vietnamese millennial mindset. An English name was preferred, but it had to be easily understood by a Vietnamese audience, easy to pronounce and carry a strong meaning that connected to the brand culture.

In the end, the name ‘Wink’ was chosen from a strong shortlist. It was preferred for its approachable, playful meaning, and its ability to communicate an ‘in-the-know’ brand that aligned perfectly with the guest experience and Wink’s place at the centre of Vietnam’s vibrant urban communities.

LOGO DESIGN

Easy on the Eye

Once the ‘Wink’ name was in place, it was time to bring it to life with a logo that reflected the youthful spirit of the brand. In the end, a simple, modern sans serif font was chosen, with the second part of the ‘W’ contracted to give the subtle impression of a wink. This treatment added a playful dimension to a simple yet sophisticated logo that reflected the contemporary aesthetics of Indochina. 

TONE OF VOICE

Sleek, Chic and Fun

The Wink tone of voice is built around a ‘chic and cheerful’ voice concept that embodies Indochine 2.0 and reflects the region’s infectious optimism and bold style, peppering its speech with upbeat exclamations while maintaining a cool, clued-in tone. It seamlessly alternates between sleek prose and cheerful expressions. It plays with punctuation—using ‘;’ to represent a wink—onomatopoeia and phrasing, creating a unique and engaging tone while remaining easy to understand.

PROMOTIONAL DESIGN

A Nod to the Future

Even though Wink had yet to open its first hotel, it needed plenty of marketing collateral and other resources that would help it grow its presence ahead of launch. QUO developed visually compelling materials such as a brand brochure, factsheet, PowerPoint presentation, stationery and more. We also designed a full suite of operational collateral, ready to be rolled out on the opening of the brand’s first property.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Indochine for the Digital Age

The absence of a physical property didn’t mean it was too early to establish Wink’s digital presence. Not by a long shot. QUO immediately designed and developed a sleek holding website that combined the newly developed visuals and tone to create a compelling online representation of this vibrant new brand.

You can see it for yourself right here.

See Indochina with fresh eyes. Well ahead of Wink’s launch date, QUO designed a holding site that communicates the Indochina 2.0 philosophy with on-brand visuals, a chick and cheerful tone of voice and parallax scrolling effects.

ONLINE MARKETING

Connecting with Indochine 2.0

Not quite ready to rest on its laurels, Wink wanted to start building the brand’s online influence from the get-go. With QUO’s help, Wink began engaging with the Indochine 2.0 generation in new and innovative ways. Together, we set out to demonstrate that you can amass a social media following before you’ve even finished building your first hotel.  This was not going to be your typical hotel Facebook page. Instead, we planned to turn Wink into an online persona and trendsetter.

QUO developed a social media strategy and a platform-spanning content plan to help Wink spread its message. The brand speaks to its target audience through Facebook and Instagram posts about music, art, fashion, style, trends and a little light-hearted philosophy. These also direct readers to the Wink emag, home to longer-form blog posts covering everything from hangover remedies to upcoming art exhibitions.

From fashion to food, QUO has helped Wink create and curate a dynamic social media presence. The brand is already emerging as a go-to source for what’s hot in Vietnam—all experienced through the lens of Indochine 2.0. As that presence grew, Wink prepared to deepen its relationship with its target audience even further.

In a calculated multi-level strategy, QUO helped Wink arrange a photography competition. We reached out to Wink’s followers, asking what Indochine 2.0 means to them. The caveat: the answer had to be presented in photographic form along with the hashtag #winkphotocomp2018.

The competition brought fresh eyes to Wink’s social media platforms, and it also gifted the brand with an archive of stunning photos that communicate the Indochine 2.0 aesthetic.

In the end, a young freelance photographer named Hồ Nguyễn took first prize. Her work was exhibited alongside several runners-up at Through the Eyes of Wink, an exhibition hosted at Toong co-working space in Saigon. 

WINK HOTELS x VIETCETERA

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THE MYST

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THE MYST

Tapping into a Vibrant City’s Soul

Last Updated
September 19, 2019
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In mid-2016 Vietnamese hotel company Silverland Hotels & Spas had some ‘soul searching’ to do. With seven sleek mid-range properties located around Saigon, they thought it was time to launch something a little different. With a premium boutique concept in mind, they wanted a brand that would capture the essence of Saigon and pay tribute to its charming alleys and shophouses with strong design elements that connected travellers to the locale.

SERVICES

Brand Culture
Visual Identity
Tone of Voice
Website Development

BRAND CULTURE

Emerging from The Myst

Silverland’s desire to tell an authentic Saigon story presented a refreshing challenge for us. Receptive to more fearless and progressive brand traits, they were open to creating a truly ‘Vietnamese’ brand that had an exclusive vibe, but was more inclusive than their competitors. Free from the constraints of conservatism, we cultivated The Myst’s persona as a peaceful respite amidst the bustle of Saigon, one that celebrated the locale in a boldly contemporary way.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Evoking Tradition in a Contemporary Way

In order to visually express The Myst’s brand essence as a “refreshingly unique expression of Saigon culture”, QUO created a minimalist, yet distinctive, letterform-only logo. Emphasising the mystery and the promise of discovery, the ‘Y’ is stylised to omit its right arm, piqueing curiosity for about product.

The letter ‘Y’ also represents a fork in the road, reminiscent of the nostalgic old alleyways (hẻm) of Saigon. By using a sans serif font for ‘The Myst’ and a serif font for its descriptor—‘Dong Khoi’—we created a contrast between old and new, just like The Myst itself.

TONE OF VOICE

A Magical, Myst-ery Tour

When finding a voice for The Myst, we wanted to tap into the ‘poetry’ of life in Saigon, its rhythms and the nostalgic vibe of its old shophouses and alleyways. The resultant voice sports a mellifluous tone, with a hint of poetry to set a gently intriguing scene.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Cyberspace, Myst-ified

In order to share The Myst’s story with the world (and encourage direct bookings) we created a website that would act as an online storyteller. This visually delightful and descriptive site shares pertinent need-to-know details, while alluding to the gems of the property and locale awaiting guests’ discovery.

Naturally, the booking button is prominently displayed, as well as a chat feature for visitors to instantly communicate with The Myst. The imagery captures The Myst’s unique decor while a super-simple UX makes it effortless to navigate.

In March 2018, The Myst was featured in a write-up on Hospitality Design for its boutique blend of antiques and modern lines.

Enjoyed this article? You can read more about the work we’ve done for some of the world’s biggest brands here.

VISIT WEBSITE

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THE NAUTILUS

OUR WORK

THE NAUTILUS

How we Branded ‘Freedom’

Last Updated
September 19, 2019
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What is freedom? Is it something you can buy, or brand?

These questions and more arose when we began our branding journey with The Nautilus, a new Maldivian project aimed at ultra-high net worth individuals. Looking to create a stand-out brand for their intimate, untouched island in Baa Atoll, The Nautilus needed an identity that truly offered something of elusive and undisputed value to people who ‘have it all’.

QUO was tasked with not only creating a brand strategy and culture for The Nautilus, but also a distinctive visual identity, a brand voice, all kinds of collateral, a website, and a brand video shot on The Nautilus’ idyllic Maldivian island.

But first we had to ask: what is the most precious commodity of all?

SERVICES

Brand Culture
Visual Identity
Tone of Voice
Website Development
Promotional Design
Brand Video

BRAND CULTURE

Liberating Indulgence

The answer? Time.

Time is the one thing money can’t buy. But on a private island in the Maldives, why address time at all? This was central to the brand positioning created by QUO, as we completely stripped the concept of time away from The Nautilus experience to create an immensely private resort where a whimsically bohemian attitude allows guests to do what they want, when they want. The Nautilus emerged as a sophisticated refuge affording guests the freedom to enjoy life’s elusive elemental pleasures, namely the ability to simply be.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Breathing Life into an Empty Shell

The Nautilus, having come to QUO with a name in place, needed a visual identity that flew in the face of expectation. While the resort hardware itself would have echoes of a nautilus shape, the designers and strategists at QUO didn’t think it would position the brand correctly to utilise the shell shape overtly through its corporate identity.

Instead, we crafted a logo that would breathe bohemian sophistication into The Nautilus and its collateral, one that would resonate with both its luxurious side and its more free-wheeling spirit of liberation.

TONE OF VOICE

A Modern Bohemian

The voice created for The Nautilus does not shy away from its poetic side. Unafraid to ponder aloud, it sets a philosophical mood with provocative questions peppered throughout the prose. It also ‘paints with words’ to create a sense of intrigue and invite readers into a world without inhibitions—a world of their own making.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

What is Your Greatest Freedom?

Before The Nautilus opened, QUO crafted a microsite using a different approach to recreating the guest journey with visuals that reflected The Nautilus’ bohemian-but-sophisticated essence. All of QUO’s departments were involved in the creation of the initial site map, integration strategy, design, content and digital direction to create a fully immersive user experience. Based on the key experiences offered by the resort, its whimsical tone laid the groundwork for the full The Nautilus website, which was released after the resort’s opening.

VISIT WEBSITE

PROMOTIONAL DESIGN

No Ordinary Brochure

The Nautilus was never going to have a normal hotel brochure. The 32-page book was Chinese-bound, providing more flexibility with printing, and allowing us to add a twine binding around the outside of the cover, in keeping with the bohemian style of the visual identity.

BRAND VIDEO

A Place Beyond Time

Finally, to fully capture The Nautilus guest experience, the QUO video team went on-site to film a brand video. Outlining the resort’s aim of letting guests escape the bounds of time, we sourced models and travelled with them to the resort to craft a two-minute story about the resort’s offerings amidst the stunning scenery of the Maldives.

THE NAUTILUS MALDIVES – A PLACE BEYOND TIME

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Brand Culture . Naming Strategy . Tone of Voice . Logo and Brand Identity . Online Marketing . Website Development
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THE MYST
Tapping into a Vibrant City’s Soul
Brand Culture . Guest Experience . Naming Strategy . Logo and Brand Identity . Website Development
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JAZ IN THE CITY
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ADVOCACY
UNICEF
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BAROS

OUR WORK

BAROS

Honing a Legend

Last Updated
September 19, 2019
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Baros Maldives is an undisputed legend. This luxurious island resort has been a beacon of Maldivian hospitality for more than four decades. After starting out as a dive resort, today Baros represents the standard for luxury in the Maldives. How do you improve upon a brand with that kind of pedigree?

That was our challenge.

SERVICES

Brand Culture
Visual Identity
Tone of Voice
Website Development

BRAND CULTURE

Reimagining Baros

Forty years ago, when many were saying the Maldives could never succeed as a major tourism destination, Baros had already opened its doors.  When the archipelago was still communicating with the outside world via Morse Code, Baros was wowing the Maldives’ earliest guests with warm hospitality and a vibrant house reef. 

In 2017, Baros entrusted QUO with the task of encapsulating this rich heritage and unrivalled reputation in a new brand identity that also reflected its progressive spirit.

QUO worked closely with Baros to help refine its forward-thinking vision in a way that stayed true to its past. While the resort didn’t need a radical change in culture, there was a need, after more than 40 years, to ensure Baros didn’t become stale or content to rest on its laurels.

The result is an evolution of the Baros brand that seamlessly blends its position as one of the Maldives’ original and best resorts with an enterprising, ever-evolving spirit.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Letting Natural Beauty Shine Through

How do you create a visual identity for a place so stunning it defies description? For our design department, the answer was to give Baros’ beautiful natural scenery and cosy interior decor plenty of room to breathe. Earthy greens and subtle browns communicate the hues of Baros’ natural palette, giving the brand a sophisticated, down-to-earth feel, while gold foil adds a glint of luxury and makes the logo ‘pop’ on print applications.

For the new Baros logo, the ‘B’ mark features wave or shell patterns to reflect the resort’s island identity. The gold foil used for the mark reflects Baros’ lasting legacy as a ‘statesman’ of Maldivian hospitality, and of course, communicate luxury status. The rich green shade reflects the property’s towering palm canopy—a rare attribute in the Maldives, where many islands still have younger, less-developed gardens.

A resort that has been around for decades has a lot of well-established collateral, so naturally part of the Baros rebrand involved redesigning day-to-day operational items. A factsheet, brochure and spa menu were first to be produced with the new visual identity and brand voice. Items to follow included everything from name cards to flip-flops.

TONE OF VOICE

Giving Baros a Voice

To reflect Baros’ rich heritage and inherent warmth, QUO’s content department sought to develop a brand voice that was engaging in a classic way. The goal was to create a voice that would reinforce Baros’ status as a Maldivian legend, while conveying the island’s beauty in a traditional-yet-modern way.

The new brand voice recreates the magic of the Baros experience by appealing to the senses with imagery-rich prose that creates naturally spellbinding scenes. Elegant but warm and welcoming, this voice works seamlessly with the brand’s visual elements.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Bringing Baros to the World

As one of the world’s leading luxury resorts, Baros didn’t ‘need’ an urgent website update to generate bookings—but to stay relevant in a market where competitors have sleek, modern sites, Baros had to make the change.

QUO’s digital team combined stunning imagery with a user-friendly interface, including high-res images, interactive galleries, crucial resort information and a floating booking button.

VISIT WEBSITE

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Brand Culture . Naming Strategy . Tone of Voice . Logo and Brand Identity . Online Marketing . Website Development
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SOUTHERN LAOS

OUR WORK

SOUTHERN LAOS

Branding an Enchanting Destination

Last Updated
September 19, 2019
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With a wealth of natural, cultural and historical attractions, Southern Laos is an ideal destination for tourists searching for an enchanting getaway. But until very recently Southern Laos was relatively undiscovered, often overshadowed by neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, and other regional attractions.

Looking to bring this magical destination to the wider world, Swisscontact, an independent foundation for international development cooperation, brought together a coalition of public, private and civil society in 2015 to help create income and job opportunities for the local population through a more competitive tourism sector.

As part of this effort, QUO was appointed to create a fresh destination brand that would reflect the region’s diversity and the life-changing new experiences to be found there.

SERVICES

Brand Strategy
Visual Identity
Promotional Collateral
Tone of Voice
Website Development
Video

BRAND STRATEGY

A Multi-agency Partnership

The project was kicked off by a two-day branding workshop in Pakse with key stakeholders from the region including tour operators, travel agents, hotel owners and local government authorities.

Drawing on valuable local insights and additional research, our brand strategy team began to form a compelling brand culture around the region’s intrinsic diversity, serenity, distinct charm and ‘Sabai Sabai’ (relaxed) approach to life. Following a tour of Southern Laos’ most inspirational and iconic sites the team returned to Bangkok to develop the brand essence that would define the destination – ‘Charming by Nature’.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Bringing the Essence to Life

QUO’s creative team drew inspiration from Southern Laos’ expressive personalities, proud traditions and stunning geography to translate the brand essence – which was also adopted as the Southern Laos tagline – into a logo evoking the Lao alphabet’s circular forms with the image of a fisherman in a long-tail boat as well as a compelling visual identity. Clear instruction on how to bring the new identity to life were outlined for the client in detailed visual identity and photography guidelines.

PROMOTIONAL COLLATERAL

‘Beyond the Ordinary’

To help promote the destination and the new brand, a special Southern Laos destination guide was produced with an introduction to the region, a detailed location guide, and tips and tricks to help travellers to get the most from their experience. The guide, entitled ‘Beyond the Ordinary’, brought the brand’s new visual identity to life, working seamlessly with beautiful imagery from the region’s most iconic attractions.

TONE OF VOICE

‘The Local Expert’

With the visual identity in place, it fell to QUO’s content team to develop a tone of voice that would define how Southern Laos communicates with the world. It developed the voice of a ‘local expert’ who knows the region forwards and backwards and speaks in a direct, confident and knowledgeable manner.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Connecting Southern Laos with the World

As the project began to take shape, it fell to QUO’s digital team to build an interactive, informative website that would do justice to this magical destination.  Taking advantage of the stunning beauty of Southern Laos, we opted for a design that focused heavily on large, high-definition images. The site also includes full destination and culture guides, a trip planner, news updates and more.

You can check the website out for yourself right here.

VIDEO

Capturing the Spirit of the Region

The Southern Laos brand was further amplified by an engaging promotional video produced to help potential visitors explore the attractions on offer in the region. The Southern Laos video is an embodiment of the spirit of the region, showing beautiful scenery, the generosity of the local people, and a place ideal for slowing down, living in the moment and enjoying life.

It showcases the jewels of Southern Laos, such as the exotic Four Thousand Islands on the Mekong River, the stunning waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau, Vat Phou Temple, the shadow puppet theatre and the warm smiles of the locals.

SOUTHERN LAOS PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

OTHER CASE STUDIES

HOSPITALITY
WINK HOTELS
Branding ‘Indochine 2.0’
Brand Culture . Naming Strategy . Tone of Voice . Logo and Brand Identity . Online Marketing . Website Development
HOSPITALITY
THE MYST
Tapping into a Vibrant City’s Soul
Brand Culture . Guest Experience . Naming Strategy . Logo and Brand Identity . Website Development
HOSPITALITY
THE NAUTILUS
How we Branded 'Freedom'
Brand Culture . Guest Experience . Brand Video . Tone of Voice . Visual Identity . Website Development
HOSPITALITY
JAZ IN THE CITY
Creating a Hip Urban Hotel Brand
Brand Culture . Guest Experience . Brand Video . Tone of Voice . Logo and Brand Identity
HOSPITALITY
BAROS
Honing a Legend
Brand Culture . Guest Experience . Tone of Voice . Logo and Brand Identity . Website Development