villa 49 kandy: brand identity design
Villa 49 is a privately owned upper-end B&B based in a highly touristic town, where almost every property rented rooms.
While they had been in business for over two decades, they were feeling the pressure from the competition and needed a way to stand out.
the problem:
Simply typing ‘Kandy’ in a booking.com search gave over 500 options at the time.
Without a unique way to stand out, they would fall to competing on price, which wasn’t a viable way forward for Villa 49.
the problem:
as they had spent over 20 years investing in developing and furnishing the property.
Any solution we presented would have to capture and enhance the existing charm and personality of the Villa.
the solution:
If we wanted to appeal the ideal clientele, we had to understand what they envisioned at the time they decided to go on vacation.
We then realised that traveling in a developing country where you don’t speak the language is rarely like it is in the movies.
the solution:
that these travellers wanted time off from their hectic lives and the chance to rest and recharge.
They were not looking for excitement in the typical sense. But they were looking for an authentic tropical Sri Lankan experience that wasn’t ‘touristy’.
The answer was a brand message based on taking care of oneself first by eating healthy local food, sight seeing on foot and making sleep a priority.
the solution:
in the fact that this is exactly what the proprietors of Villa 49 believed in.
The way to capture the uniqueness of the brand then was to design it using elements from its existing decor and services to communicate this message with no exaggeration.
