Proudly Ozarks.

The Ask

My agency was approached by the Ropeswing Group, a local restaurateur in Bentonville, Arkansas, with a desire to bring a new kind of mixed-use hospitality offering to market—at least new for Bentonville, a small community in the heart of the Ozarks. In order to ensure its success, it was imperative that this new space not feel “outsider,” but rather that it effortlessly embodied the unique spirit of its locale.

The Solution

With that in mind, we immersed ourselves in all things Bentonville, positioning the brand as a new-but-familiar community fixture. Everything from the name (which is another word for “valley” in local Ozark dialect) to the graphic identity (which whole-heartedly embraces the outdoors) pays homage to what it means to be from Bentonville.

All avenues of creative development came together to create an environment that is at once unfussy and nuanced; that feels both everyday and destination-worthy. The Holler brand comes to life as a rich representation of not only Benvonville’s heritage, but also its bright future.

What I did…

BRAND STRATEGY, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, NAMING, CREATIVE DIRECTION, ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT, EXPERIENCE STRATEGY

Design credit: Brand Bureau; Photo credit: Peter Bagi

Design credit: Brand Bureau

Defined & named the brand.

Developed a brand platform to inform how the brand would communicate and resonate with it’s audience.

Then, developed the name and consumer-facing narrative for the name.

Collaborated on the identity concept.

Collaborated with a team of designers to set the foundation for a comprehensive identity and collateral package. We took an unconventional approach, developing a system that could change over time.

Design credit: Brand Bureau

Design credit: Brand Bureau; Photo credit: Peter Bagi

Helped inspire the interior design.

Collaborated with the interior designers to ensure that the brand experience was brought to life through signature experience touchpoints.

Design credit: Brand Bureau; Photo credit: Garrett Rowland