Hideaway Report Brand & Style Guide
The Hideaway Report is a subscription-based editorial brand that provides reliable, candid reviews of the world's most distinctive hotels, exceptional dining experiences and unique local adventures.
Background & Challenge
The Hideaway Report is a travel editorial brand that publishes candid reviews of the most luxurious and unique hotels worldwide. Even though the company was founded in 1979, there has never been a comprehensive brand book to guide public facing initiatives.
Brand Personality & Voice
The brand personality creates an emotional association in the mind of an ideal consumer group. It is derived from keywords that best describe the brand’s character as if it was a person. Using the Five Dimensions of Brand Personality by Jennifer Aaker as a framework, I defined the Hideaway Report’s brand voice and personality.
Visual Identity
During the development of the brand identity guide, the Hideaway Report contracted an Austin-based UX firm, Handsome, to refresh the current website design. Using their recommendations, I created a visual identity framework.
Warmth, intimacy and exclusivity are the driving emotional factors in how the color palette is portrayed. We also wanted to stay true to the history of the editorial tone in the type chosen.
Photography & Illustrations
One of the most important aspects of establishing a strong brand is to develop a consistent theme. That theme should be applied to all visual elements—especially our photos. The imagery produced must be enticing to a luxury audience while simultaneously conveying the Hideaway Report's expertise in the travel industry. Photography does more than add color to the content. It sells the brand personality, reinforces the values and increases visibility.
Going beyond photography, the hand-drawn line illustrations (previously used in the print issues) evoke a feeling of highly tailored luxury experiences. These illustrations also speak to the company roots and help tell the brand story.
