Crafting life-long travel experiences
Exploor, a tourism agency rooted in the vibrant city of Cusco, Peru, sought my expertise for a brand revitalization. Collaborating with founders Erik and Oliver, we crafted a series of innovative concepts to rejuvenate their identity, encompassing a fresh tone of voice, dynamic logo, and engaging branded content. We then devised a unique visual system, meticulously outlined in a brand manual to ensure cohesive communication across their team. To cap off the transformation, I designed a sleek website aimed at elevating user engagement and amplifying its aesthetic appeal.
The beginning
Picture this: two spirited Germans, Erik and Oliver, exploring Peru during their student exchange. They fell in love head over heels with the country's vibrant landscapes and rich cultures. And thus, EXPLOOR was born! Their dream was to share their passion for Peru, travel with like-minded adventurers and create moments of inspiration, personal growth, and cultural enrichment. They were determined to change the game, break free from the norm, and offer experiences that were anything but ordinary.
Fast forward three years and EXPLOOR had grown in size and experience. But their brand identity and web design were stuck in the past, lost among countless other travel companies. Their visual identity didn't capture the essence of their vibrant experiences and was as generic as the ones they aimed to revolutionize.
Time for a reality check!
The quest for differentiation and uniqueness became paramount. Upon deeper exploration, we uncovered that EXPLOOR's existing visual identity looked eerily similar to its competitors. Yikes! This realization was a wake-up call, signaling that they were drowning in a sea of familiarity, making it harder to stand out in the crowded market.
The mission was clear: a complete rebranding that would breathe life into an identity that resonated with their values, that screamed adventure, and that could communicate through a unique voice that set them apart from the crowd and redefine their place in the travel industry.
Crafting the EXPLOOR Experience
The journey started and we dove deep into the world of EXPLOOR. Through discovery sessions and brand workshops, we uncovered their history, purpose, vision, offer, competitors, and target market. We wanted to understand what made them tick and what made their customers connect to their unique offer. And boy, did we find some gems!
We discovered that EXPLOOR's customers were wanderers with an insatiable appetite for exploration. They craved personal connections with fellow travelers and local communities and sought out unique, off-the-beaten-path adventures. These adventurers needed a message that spoke directly to their souls.
As a result of this exploration, it was clear that the brand should reflect a blend of adventure, knowledge, innovation, and personal connection. It was all about encapsulating moments that resonate for a lifetime. With these insights in mind, we crafted a remarkable brand concept that embodied EXPLOOR's mission: "Collecting Lifelong Experiences", highlighting that every moment with EXPLOOR is an unforgettable experience that goes beyond just being a travel agency. They are a catalyst for personal transformation, helping adventurers collect memories that last a lifetime.
Our next step was to translate this brand essence into a visual identity. Therefore, I presented them with three stylescapes to choose a visual direction that resonated with their brand concept and conveyed the desired look and feel. Once the route was chosen, we honed the visual identity to align with our vision.
The Outcome?
Drumroll, please! We unveiled a visually stunning and deeply meaningful brand identity for EXPLOOR. We redesigned their logo, making it stronger, modern, and more mature while keeping the iconic symbol of explorers worldwide—binoculars.
We also incorporated real-life textures into the design to give it a tactile presence reminiscent of actual travel experiences. Additionally, we crafted destination stamps as tokens of real experiences, evoking a sense of wanderlust.
The color palette, inspired by the diverse Peruvian nature, immerses customers in the adventure even before they pack their bags. And the clear and simple serif font ensures easy and efficient communication on their website. This Is definitely a game-changer for EXPLOOR!
A revolution in travel and beyond
The transformation of EXPLOOR's identity and online presence had a ripple effect. We increased Instagram Stories engagement and website conversions. But it wasn't just about the numbers. Internally, the team gained a deeper understanding of their brand values, target audience, and messaging, helping them to align their marketing strategies with their newfound identity.
EXPLOOR was never just a travel agency, but their visual identity wasn't reflecting this. Now, they have transformed into a brand with a message, a clear purpose, and recognition that reflects the uniqueness of their offer and founders.
This project was an adventure in itself, filled with insights, creativity, and a shared passion for travel and exploration. Together, we created a brand that encapsulates the essence of adventure and reinvigorates EXPLOOR's place in the world of travel and wanderlust.
Paulo helped us with the rebranding of our brand and the design of our website. Throughout the project, he has always been very well organized and gave us very timely feedback. In fact, through the exercises we did in a rebranding workshop we managed to better define our values and our target, which helped us with marketing strategies. Thanks to his expertise in design, we managed to increase the engagement of our stories on Instagram and the conversion of our website. He works super tidy, respects deadlines, and is very cool. 100% recommended! :)