THE COLONY BY THE SEA Los Cabos
2023 Brand Strategy Presented to Megaterra and The Lyle Anderson Company | November 15, 2023
This is a love story. It’s the story of one man’s passion for a magical place by the sea. For a long time, Vicente Chalita held onto this place—a secluded, 50-acre valley opening up to a pristine beach on the Sea of Cortez. He knew it was special, and so he waited. For decades he waited, until the time was right—to fulfill its promise and turn it into something as yet unimagined. A place like no other. Once he found a team of kindred spirits and talents in The Lyle Anderson Company, he knew the moment had arrived. Drawn together by a deep connection to Los Cabos. Grounded in art and nature and close community. So began their journey together, envisioning what this new place might be. The rest, as they say, is history yet to be written. For this is just the beginning of the story, and there is so much more to come.
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THE COLONY by THE SEA
Th e assig n m ent
To create alignment with all internal stakeholders regarding the brand vision for The Colony by the Sea. With alignment, we can create a unified brand for the entire community, including the residences, hotel, spa and dining district. Please note that the language of this strategic document is intended for internal strategy only — it is not yet consumer-facing. Our task is to craft a brand story that captures the unique vision and essential spirit of The Colony by the Sea. To set it apart conceptually from Cabo’s sprawl of luxury hotels and condos. And anchor it in a brand strategy that will inspire category-expanding content and programming.
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AERIAL VIEW OF HOTEL PALMILLA 1956 P R E S E N T E D B Y S T R A D A | N O V E M B E R 1 5 , 2 02 3 | 5
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th e situatio n
A generation ago, Los Cabos was tucked just under the radar. Desert-meets-the-sea beautiful and endearingly sleepy. Squint your eyes and you could still see the small fishing village it once was. And the remote getaway it became in the 1950s when the wealthy and famous arrived on private airstrips, smitten by pristine beaches. Extraordinary fishing. And the warm Mexican hospitality of retreats like the Hotel Palmilla. This is the heritage of the Golden Corridor, the 20-mile stretch between the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, known the world over for its spectacular coves, beaches and resorts. Today it’s hard to imagine Old Cabo, either as a sleepy fishing village or little known getaway. In some ways, the place has grown into its potential. Los Cabos is beloved for its eclectic energy: rowdy nightlife, premier golf, outdoor adventure, wellness retreats, and a farm-to-table culinary scene that has attracted some of Latin America’s best chefs.
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But this rich diversity of experience has come with a cost. More and more, Cabo feels like the cities people are trying to escape. Intense growth has led to roads heavy with traffic and construction. A patchwork of uninspired architecture. And crowds. In 2022, Cabo set a new record with more than 3.5 million tourists arriving on its shores, and 2023 should post even higher numbers. This boom has led to a glut of big, brand-name resorts packed shoulder to shoulder along the Golden Corridor. A step by step surrender of Cabo’s original, secluded appeal. Each tries to carve out its niche, but these global luxury brands have an unavoidable air of sameness. In their architecture, land planning and experiences.
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Viceroy Los Cabos Solaz , a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos
The Cape, a Thompson Hotel
Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Marquis Los Cabos
Grand Velas Los Cabos
Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos
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co m petitive l an dscape: h otels
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co m petitive l an dscape: Resi d en ces
Maravilla
Chileno Bay Residences
Cabo Del Sol
El Dorado
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th e au d i en ce
Coming mostly from the West Coast, our audience will be wealthy, educated and well-traveled. And this breadth of knowledge and experience stokes a hunger for the unexpected and inspiring. These aren’t observers, happy to skim the surface of a destination, but discoverers and doers. Deep divers into local culture, falling into its rhythm and energy. They’re also explorers of wild spaces, grateful for the perspective quiet nature brings. They’re passionate for living in each moment and the memory it will cast. The Colony by the Sea has the potential to attract this worldly audience’s most curious and adventurous members. A creative colony of entrepreneurs and inf luencers in everything from fashion, music and art to science and technology. In order to reach this highly successful group, we need to distinguish ourselves from Cabo’s long list of luxury brands and boilerplate promises. To provide handcrafted experiences that feel inspired and uncommon—but honest to the land and local culture. P R E S E N T E D B Y S T R A D A | N O V E M B E R 1 5 , 2 02 3 | 1 2
th e o ppo rtu n ity
In order to reach this highly successful group, we need to shift the conversation away from the predictable five-star experiences they already know. And toward fresh perspectives and creative experiences that lead to a more expansive sense of joy.
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THE COLONY BY THE SEA
The passionate pursuit of things we love.
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th e b ig i d ea
The untried and true A new way to experience Cabo’s Golden Corridor What if we took the position that authentic and imaginative aren’t mutually exclusive? That a place could feel close and away, all at the same time? What if we let the land transform us instead of the other way around? Think of The Colony by the Sea as a place of dual passions. True to Old Cabo and the new. Close to the buzz that people love and a world apart for when they don’t. A place of vibrant ideas, art, music, food, wellness experiences, golf and good company. And the restorative peace of unspoiled nature. It’s an exceptionally social, boutique community that attracts
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up-and-coming artists, musicians, writers and entrepreneurs. Giving rise to a constantly changing array of casual performances, stimulating conversations, and a fresh fusion of experiences that nurture wholeness and joy. Throughout, The Colony by the Sea encourages a lively cross-pollination of ideas and creative energy. With careful curation, the community will be forever evolving and worth visiting time and again. All of which makes The Colony by the Sea as thoughtprovoking as it is authentic.
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“I am not interested in a slice of life, what I want is a slice of the imagination.” CARLOS FUENTES
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po i nts o f d i fferen ce
Last, best piece of the Golden Corridor A community that is both hideaway and neighbor to the Corridor’s legendary activity. Fifty acres of unspoiled desert and Sea of Cortez shoreline, sheltered between two private residential communities. Unseen from the highway above, but only minutes from the Corridor’s entertainment and everyday needs.
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po i nts o f d i fferen ce
Boutique-scale with room to breathe Inspired by Old Cabo’s sense of seclusion, The Colony by the Sea holds nearly half of its 50 acres as protected open space. Leaving room for privacy, exploration and gracious living in the tradition of Los Cabos’ most treasured resorts. This is a gathering place of rare natural beauty with a boutique hotel and spa, limited residences, an intimate golf garden and a virtually private beach that promise both escape and true community.
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po i nts o f d i fferen ce
Deep nature The changing tide, the arc of the sun, the way of the arroyo—nature is our organizing principle. The terrain informs every aspect of the built environment. By staying submissive to the pristine valley, The Colony by the Sea infuses daily life with the therapeutic and restorative qualities of nature.
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po i nts o f d i fferen ce
Cultural connections Creative spirits crave meaningful culture. The Colony by the Sea is a fluid, dynamic community that captivates the curious with the finest curation of local indulgences. Creativity and authenticity merge here, finding new expression and flowing freely from the dining district to hotel to spa. From guest to resident and back again.
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po i nts o f d i fferen ce
World-class culinary district Dining and nightlife are steps away, discreetly tucked into The Colony’s hillside edge. Prestigious Mexican restaurant group Grupo Anderson brings a fresh mix of concepts to the neighborhood, connecting The Colony to Cabo’s passionate embrace of food and fun. Private access without a moment on the highway.
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b ran d pro m ise
The hidden jewel of Los Cabos A gracious hideaway in the tradition of the Golden Corridor’s most treasured resorts
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b ran d pro m ise
The hidden jewel of Los Cabos A gracious hideaway in the tradition of the Golden Corridor’s most treasured resorts The Colony by the Sea is quintessential Cabo, on the last great stretch of coastline in the heart of the Golden Corridor. Cradled by swaths of desert and sea, crossed by contemplative trails, it’s a deep breath of a place. Truer to the land, sea and culture, too, with Cabo’s joyful energy on its border. It’s a community of singular vision and Mexican soul, edited for its most authentic and most imaginative. Inspiring guests and residents with the best of what has come before … and what’s coming next. The Colony by the Sea is a boutique community with a defiantly un-branded spirit. An extended family of creative explorers, sharing a destination that is life-giving and life-affirming. Felt, heard, touched, breathed in with new senses. Los Cabos seen with new eyes. P R E S E N T E D B Y S T R A D A | N O V E M B E R 1 5 , 2 02 3 | 2 4
THE COLONY BY THE SEA
Luxury buoyed by a light-hearted spirit.
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b ran d d i rectives
Creating transformative connections through
Style Service Content
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B ran d d i rective
Style architecture, placemaking , art, fashion, landscape
Down-to-earth luxe, chic, playful and artfully layered. Authenticity = honest to the past and to this moment and place. Not imported design. Neither replica or ubiquitous modern. New classic Mexican. Craft and craftsmanship to the highest degree.
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Style
SPACE FOR DISCOV ERY A ND I N T IM ACY
OR IGI NA L L I G H T- H E A R T E D L U X U R Y T IM ELESS NOT PA ST ICH E I NDIGENOUS BU T FR ESH
C U R AT E D A N D E DI T E D F OR JOY
B ran d d i rective
Service voice, values, culture
Genuinely warm, no artifice. Personal, as if entertaining at home. A real sense of community. Associates who feel as valued and essential to the story as our guests.
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Service C E L E BR AT E M E X I C A N C U LT U R E
H ON O R I N D I V I D UA L I T Y
E X P R E S S I V E , E M P OW E R E D S E RV IC E
OP TIMISM A ND GOOD J UDGMENT
Gabriela Fariña Peréz, Mixologist & Pollinator
B ran d d i rective
Content activation, imagination, experience
Experiences that go beyond the stay. Guests arrive curious, enjoy invigorating experiences, and return home engaged with new passion for their lives. Innovative contrasts that forward the journey toward feeling joyful, healthy, alive and complete. A strong point of view that supports an expanded sense of creative connection. And is conscientiously threaded through all experiences. Curation that honors the nature of this place, the Isabel Martinez, Creative & Cultural Editor
land and surrounding culture. P R E S E N T E D B Y S T R A D A | N O V E M B E R 1 5 , 2 02 3 | 3 1
DELIGH T F U L M A SH-U PS ,
Content
SU R PR ISI NG COLL A BOR AT IONS
U N I Q U E WA Y S T O ENCOU R AGE CON NECT ION
U NEXPECTED ENR ICHMENT
A LWA Y S E V O LV I N G , R E N E W E D R E L E VA N C E
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Th e nam e
The Colony by the Sea A creative colony of people with a shared background or interests. Evocative of artists’ colonies, which emerged in the 19th century when artists left increasingly industrialized cities for the countryside, seeking peace, quiet, inspiration and community with the like-minded. Besides quickly establishing the oceanfront setting, by the sea evokes the romance of a storybook title. With a charming, Spanish-style lyricism.
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THE COLONY BY THE SEA
A gracious hideaway on the last great stretch of the Golden Corridor.
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nam i n g h i erarchy
One place. One brand. community T H E C OL ON Y BY T H E S E A
Los Cabos
residences T H E C OL ON Y BY T H E S E A
T H E C OL ON Y BY T H E S E A
Residences
Beach Villas
Los Cabos
Los Cabos
boutique hotel
spa
T H E C OL ON Y BY T H E S E A HO T E L
T H E SPA GA R DEN
Los Cabos
T H E C OL ON Y BY T H E S E A
LXR Hotels & Resorts
Los Cabos
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b ran d pyram i d
T H E COL ON Y BY T H E SE A
Los Cabos
brand promise T H E H I DDEN J EW E L OF L OS CA BOS
big idea T H E U N T R I ED A N D T RU E
A new way to experience Cabo’s Golden Corridor
points of difference L A S T, BE S T PI ECE OF T H E G OLDEN COR R I DOR BOU T IQU E SCA LE W I T H ROOM TO BR E AT H E • DEEP NAT U R E CU LT U R A L CON N EC T IONS • WOR LD- CL A S S CU LI NA RY DI S T R IC T
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“The sound of water is worth more than all the poets’ words.” OCTAVIO PAZ
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