ABOUT

In 2011 Shiraz Group has opened their second hotel after the extremely successful Fabulous Shiraz Hotel. They approached me to craft the full branding for their next big hit. However I’ve learned a lot from the previous project, this one was even bigger. The architecture was colossal. They paid attention to every little detail in order to have this hotel as authentic as it can be with regarding the traditional African and Mali architecture. It was obvious that the core values, traditions and culture must have a key role and a firm presence in the branding. For that reason I’ve dug up every available resource from Mali and the Bambara tribe's culture. One of the early logo concepts was based on the traditional Bambara writing system’s shapes and lines. For the final logo I searched for ceremonial masks. The Bambara’s most precious and magical object is the Chi Wara statue, which has a key role during rituals and dances. Finding the antelope shaped Chi Wara symbol gave the logo a strong, authentic look and feel - and a great foundation for the rest of the branding. I did not only design the full communication and marketing package for the hotel, but also did the website, the social media presence, and I also helped to design banners and eDM campaigns.