THE HOTEL ALEX JOHNSON
There are a plethora of businesses here in the Black Hills that are sitting on untapped potential, specifically in terms of telling their story through their visual experience.
Being a brand strategist and identity designer, my eyes are constantly looking for businesses that tell their story well. Seeking these stories, I knew The Hotel Alex Johnson was the perfect place to explore a brand refresh concept. It doesn’t just have a history, it has a legacy.
This project is my approach to extracting that untapped potential I see in many establishments in the Black Hills.
CONCEPT
LOGO:
Looking at the Hotel Alex Johnson’s current logo there are some imbalances I noticed.The stretching of the letters creates an overly forced perspective, creating more tension than it should. This led to an excessively tall logo mark with micro negative spaces and shapes, overall cluttering the mark altogether.
My solution was simple: create an authoritative, classy mark through legibility and consistency. I chose the main font used on the Hotel Alex Johnson’s iconic red sign and started from that foundation. From there, I found a natural relationship with the letters, and the final result was a strong, legible, and bold mark.
HISTORIC EXPRESSION:
Broadening the brand experience, I looked for inspiration in history. I was so excited to find beautiful elements used from long ago that could speak to a modern audience. Being a Curio Collection by Hilton, there was a level of class I needed to uphold. The vintage lettering and unique patterns I found on old print material helped me reestablish their history in a contemporary fashion.
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it! I didn’t want to approach this refresh concept by stripping away its history. Rather, I wanted to tell a story through design and rekindle the magic of the hotel through a new lens.
APPROACH
