A diversity of emotions with the Alean Family hotel brand

Alean is a large chain of Russian family hotels with properties at the resorts of the Krasnodar Region. In connection with plans to scale the business, there was a need to build a brand portfolio architecture.

As part of the implementation of strategic investment projects, the company plans to launch both new brands and new properties under the existing Alean Family brand, for which, among other things, it was necessary to define a place in the brand portfolio and establish its relationship with the parent brand. The overarching goal of the project was to harmonise all the brands in the Alean portfolio in light of the company's business goals by implementing a strategically calibrated brand architecture that would make it possible to differentiate the brands within the portfolio.

As part of this overarching task, we had to develop a new brand platform for Alean Family, create an original field of meanings and imagery and reflect them in a new identity, and also develop the brand's communication strategy, including working out the mechanics of engaging with the target audience, identifying effective promotion channels and drawing up an annual budget.

We conducted a large-scale study covering Russian and international hospitality market trends. And here is what we learned: the most attractive target audience is the most affluent one – guests of 5* hotels, many of whom have extensive experience of staying at such hotels abroad, because they are, in a sense, «rediscovering» the south of Russia.

Analysis of the target audience showed that its core consists of traditionalists, receptive to values associated with security. From the brand's offering they expect specifics, and they are sensitive to the gastronomic question.

The motive for this audience is - a holiday as an attribute of success. Generosity, an abundance of food, a great number of dishes and drinks. Safety, a sense of protection. Alean Family is a kind of level-up tool, an opportunity to live in a better environment than usual. A portal to a better life.

The initially formulated positioning of the parent Alean brand is the art of family experiences. We faced the task of developing a brand platform for the Alean Family brand already on the market. It was decided to position it as the art of family experiences, a dynamic multitude of services that create vivid and every time unique emotions and support children's development.

The brand metaphor became a contemporary museum of experiences, a ticket to which gives access to a multitude of socially valued works that delight adults and develop a child's artistic taste.

The name Alean Family focuses attention on the priority of family and family holidays. The brandline «A Collection of Family Experiences» points to the diversity of emotions, experiences and products offered to the guest.

Alean Family is a contemporary museum of experiences. This direction is accurately reflected by the art of installation and video art. In the identity, the visual illusion of an installation is interpreted as a graphic pattern and echoes sea waves – an indispensable attribute of a holiday at the hotel. At the heart of the concept lies the principle of the artist's interpretation of the world around them. Their works reflect various phenomena and objects passed through the prism of their own view, perception and experience. Thus, the Alean chain acts as an artist who filters the client's needs and the various phenomena of this world through itself.

All the strategic constants and rules of the identity we developed were formulated and set out in a brand book dedicated not only to the Alean Family brand, but to all the components of the brand portfolio. A brand communication strategy was also developed.

We did an enormous amount of work developing merchandise for the hotel chain. Just look at how the brand pattern fits into every item of the wardrobe.