The Hari Hotel London
Brand Strategy & Design
Creating Harilela Group's first own hotel brand
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Creating legacy
With decades and generations of experience in owning and managing hotels, it was time for the Harilela Hotel group to go to the next level and create their own brand of hospitality. With a first property in Belgravia, London, followed by Hong Kong, the group is on an exciting course to develop the brand internationally.
A personal approach
We intended to shape a uniquely personal brand, based on the attributes that Aron Harilela radiates himself: warmth, elegance, wit and charm. At a time where most hotel brands are trying to reach out to Millennials, we wanted the Hari brand to transcend generations, with old-school wisdom guiding a modern, engaging attitude.
Setting the tone
As we were launching a whole new brand of hotels, striking the right tone was critical. We set out with internal branding, and the elaboration of a staff handbook. Introducing The Hari brand to every new employee in a witty and engaging tone, this handbook was key in designing the training programs for the new hires. The formality of the brand image is balanced by the quirky appearance of the hand-drawn illustrations featuring Hari, the quintessentially British brand mascot we created for the launch.
The strategic phase was built around a series of workshops aimed at extracting and revealing all the values and attributes that would shape the brand itself. The Harilela family’s warm hospitality was to be infused throughout the service culture of the hotel.
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A timeless mark
The brand image has a traditional feel, expressed in the choice of lettering with a monogram reminiscent of the characteristic arches of the family house in Hong Kong. The deep blue colour and gold accent convey a sense of legacy.
What’s in a name?
Naturally, the Harilela team was deeply involved in our process of uncovering the perfect name. In the end, we wanted the brand to feel personal, intimate and familiar, which led to the decision of using Aron’s father’s name: Hari.
