GRASSHOPPER IDENTITY SEMINAR PROJECT 2010
CONTENTS
identity Market Research Brand Positioning Logo Development Final Logo
branding
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Stationery On-site Collateral Signage
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website
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IDENTITY
When given the opportunity to imagine any business with no strings attached, I immediately gravitated toward the hospitality industry. On a personal note, I’m looking forward to expanding on my education by traveling extensively after graduation. I’ve always been disappointed in the lack of American hostels that would provide an inexpensive alternative to hotel stay. So, I envisioned a hostel network that would fill this gap in the market and establish itself in cities that already welcome the kind of travelers who’d be interested in staying at a hostel instead of a hotel. I decided to brand an fresh, young and sustainable hostel that would promote local businesses and help build a wider community of twenty-something travelers.
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current market
international competitors (conceptually)
American competitors (conceptually but not locally)
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a low budget american hostel
successful hospitality identities
local competitors (budget)
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naming
I settled on the name The Grasshopper for my hostel network because of it’s green, travel-oriented, and embodies the down-to-earth tone I want to convey. It conveys flexibility and migration and provides the unique opportunity to elevating a seemingly insignificant insect to something more established. It represents the hostel well because it casual, yet I hoped to combine these connotations with a sophisticated branding system that would fuse to create a credible business that would appeal to its target audience.
potential names Frosk Rana Grenouille Cricket Lighthouse The Halcyon
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The Harbor The Vagabond Yurt Zelt Drifter Pharos
positioning
target audience Age range of 18–30, primarily college students & immediate grads Community-oriented travelers, not looking for typical tourist time
location “Alternative” cities with an existing market for low budget travel alternatives but few (or no) hostels Urban; prime locations within the city with access to public transport Specific locations: Austin, Boulder & Seattle
operation Low budget, age specific, sustainable Available on short notice, communal Minimal but comfortable, based on European models (Backpackers) Mid-sized operation, about 80 beds in a variety of room formats (1–8 to a room)
notable amenities Free WiFi Guides to the city (staff & printed) Access to full kitchen No lockout or curfew Staffed 24 hours
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brand descriptors
Sustainable Inexpensive Communal Local Alternative Fresh Quirky Lively Impulsive Young Independent Welcoming
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color & typography
AVENIR designed by Adrian Frutiger
AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz
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AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz
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EUREKA designed by Peter Bilak
AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz
Roman
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
Small Caps
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design development
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G
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wordmark
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2” wide (¾” tall)
2” wide (¾” tall) black & white
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abstract symbol
1” full color
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1” greyscale
1” black & white
site specific symbols on background
without background
at 1� and smaller, outer stroke becomes solid.
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site specific symbols
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CAMPAIGN
stationery Hostel Network Austin, Boulder & Seattle
invoice Austin
business cards Hostel Network Austin, Boulder & Seattle
key cards Austin
environmental signage Austin
website Hostel Network Austin
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letterhead
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business cards
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hop in. howdy@thegrasshopperaustin.com
700 Congress Ave Austin, TX · 78701
512·457·8800 » reception 512·457·8000 » reservations
thegrasshopperaustin.com
hop in. hi @ thegrasshopperboulder . com
303·422·1800 » reception 1107 12th Street Boulder, CO · 80302 303·422·1000 » reservations
thegrasshopperboulder.com
hop in.
hello @ thegrasshopperseattle .com
105 Pike Street Seattle, WA · 98101
206·342·1200 » reception 206·342·1000 » reservations
thegrasshopperseattle.com
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key cards
room no. p r i vat e
communal
single
quadrodorm
double
octodorm
wifi password building code
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environmental signage
Each location would have one wall painted a solid bright green to create a consistent brand identity that is fresh, iconic, and easy to find.
hop in. thegrasshopper.com
Guerilla marketing: 2� wide green vinyl stickers that would be strategically posted around the city.
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austin site map
LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD Keepin’ it weird Gettin’ around The hotspots Our recommendations thegrasshopper.com
SPLASH PAGE Animated introduction Overview: About The Grasshopper Hostel Network Links: Specific sites Austin / Boulder / Seattle
RESERVATIONS Rooms & prices Make or edit your reservation Special offvers
thegrasshopperaustin.com
AUSTIN HOME Overview: The Grasshopper Links: Book now, blog, flickr, facebook, twitter thegrasshopperboulder.com
BOULDER SITE
THE PERKS Your hostel experience Amenities Our location
thegrasshopperseattle.com
SEATTLE SITE THE GRASSHOPPER AUSTIN The Grasshopper philosophy Our community & staff Guestbook/guidebook reviews Contact & directions
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/austin/keepinitweird
/austin/gettinaround
/austin/hotspots
/austin/werecommend
KEEPIN’ IT WEIRD
GETTIN’ AROUND
THE HOTSPOTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
Food, music, entertainment, outdoors, shopping, relaxing What to do if only 24 or 48 hrs Places to avoid Links: Venue websites
Recommendations by the staff of free stuff, almost free stuff, and pay-for-cuz-you-can’t-miss this stuff
Slideshow of Austin venues Calendar of upcoming events Links: Buy tickets for shows
Navigating Austin’s buses How and where to rent a bike How to access new lightrail Carpools set up by the hostel Links: Metro
/reservations/rooms
/reservations
/reservations/specials
ROOMS & PRICES
MAKE OR EDIT YOUR RESERVATION
SPECIAL OFFERS
Floorplan, photos of rooms Differentiating between room types and prices Check-in & other logistics
Login to edit existing res. Form: Reservation, through to PayPal to pay deposit
Group specials Seasonal specials Member discounts
/perks/hostel
/perks/amenities
/perks/location
YOUR HOSTEL EXPERIENCE
AMENITIES
OUR LOCATION
List of free/24 hr services, specific amenities to expect Link: Reservations
Recommended eating/ shopping in walking distance Map: Interactive what’s in walking distance
What to expect at a hostel vs. a hotel, description of The Grasshopper’s overall perks Link: Reservations
/tga/philosophy
/tga/community
/tga/reviews
/tga/contact
THE GRASSHOPPER PHILOSOPHY
OUR COMMUNITY & STAFF
CONTACT & DIRECTIONS
What we stand for, believe in Where we got our name Link: Other locations
Biographies & photos of important staff members Communal aspirations/quotes Link: Facebook/twitter
GUESTBOOK/GUIDE BOOK REVIEWS Quotes from satisfied guests Quotes from guidebooks
Directions from where you are Map: Downtown Austin/TGA Form: Email The Grasshopper
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network splash page
The splash page opens with a 10-second animation of the grasshopper hopping around and finally landing in the position of the logo. It then fades back as a short brand positioning statement comes forward. If the user decides to skip the intro, the site skips straight to the last frame (B) which features a photo of each city and links to the location-specific websites.
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A.
B.
C.
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austin home page
The home button returns the user to the splash page (without going through the introductory animation). This allows the user to switch locations and create a more connected network of hostels. When the user clicks on each section, this dropdown menu appears. When the user hovers, a double white line appears beneath the section title.
When the user clicks on this bar, this box drops downward and reveals a statement about The Grasshopper and an overview of everything it has to offer.
Rolling over each button causes a speech bubble to pop up.
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home
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The Grasshopper website goes above and beyond the average hospitality website in that it informs the user about the city and its attractions with language and content tailored to its target audience.
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home  the live music capital  keepin’ it weird
Slideshow of photos that embody the spirit of Austin, including the bats under the Congress Ave. bridge, the downtown skyline, Homeslice Pizza, the 360 Bridge/Colorado River, cowboy boots, and S. Congress.
Overall statement about the city of Austin, its people, and its cuture. Specific information pertaining to each picture as its shown, including the area of the city and the cultural implications of each photo.
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home » the live music capital » keepin’ it weird
In addition to describing key site and aspects of local culture, a constantly updated schedule of upcoming events is available with links to buy tickets to concerts, comedy shows, and other special events.
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The reservations page allows users to book a new reservation or edit an existing one by logging in. It can be reached via the navigation at the top of the page or the “Book Now” button present on every page.
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home » reservations » make or edit your reservation
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From the initial reservations page, the user is taken through the easy steps to complete their reservation: A. Confirming the information filled by the user with total cost and deposit estimate. B. Filling in further details and contact information about all future guests. If the guest has logged in, their information will automatically appear here and only need to be confirmed. C. Transfer of the user to PayPal for easy, secure online payment. As soon as payment confirmation is recieved, the user will be emailed with their unique reservation confirmation number.
A.
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home Âť reservations Âť make or edit your reservation
B.
C.
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The Amenities page simply breaks down the specific services offered by the Grasshopper. The “Hop In” button takes the user to the “Make Your Reservations” page.
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home » the perks » amenities
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The Grasshopper Philosophy gives the user an idea of how the hostel was established and reiterates everything it stands for: sustainability, affordability, alternative local culture. It also calls attention to the other locations for future travels.
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home Âť the grasshopper austin Âť the grasshopper philosophy
Clicking on the link to the blog on the Philosophy page or the RSS symbol on any of the other pages takes the user to the blog, updated with community events, reminders of weekly potlucks, and other commentary that shows that The Grasshopper has its finger on the pulse of local culture.
home Âť blog
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Under Contact & Directions, the user can locate The Grasshopper on a local map while accessing all of its contact info. Typing in the starting address under “Get Directions” will give users driving, walking, or public transportation directions to The Grasshopper Austin from anywhere.
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home » the grasshopper austin » contact & directions
Clicking the grasshopper icon in its location on the map causes a 360-degree view to pop up of photos of street-level surroundings.
Clicking the email address will replace the map with an email form so the user doesn’t need to even open a mail application. Once the form is submitted, a thank you will pop up that will disappear once the user clicks away from the forefront image.
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