The Brand Strategy & Foundation deck I prepared for a real client of mine, Heirloom. Based on the results of our Brand Workshop, I created this deck. To follow the full branding process, please visit http://www.issue89.com/

1. ISSUE89 BRAND STRATEGY 101
Heirloom
Brand Foundation
October 11, 2017

2. Brand Workshop Results

3. Five Year Roadmap
Where do you envision Heirloom in
one, three, and five years?
One Year
1. Consistent quality across properties
2. Ops Market Team
3. Alta/Savannah expansion
Three Years
1. 10+ Markets /w min. Scale
2. $40+ Mil Revenue
3. Commercialization & Regulatory
Compliance
Five Years
1. Boutique Travel & Hospitality Brand
2. Hospitality Partnerships
3. Work/Life Balance
Brand Workshop

4. Top Three Audiences
1. Yuppies: College-Educated Professionals, ages 25-35, looking to travel in groups with their friends and use
home rentals to access a higher quality experience in a more economical way. Looking to explore cities more
authentically and with input from locals.
2. Wealthy Families: Whether for a family reunion or just single-family travel, parents (ages 30-50) hope to spend
more quality time with their children in a familiar environment without the stress of dealing with a hotel.
3. Event-Based Travelers: Traveling for conferences, music festivals, or other events, these travelers want a
“home-base” to go back to when they are done with each day.
In rank order, who are the top three audiences for Heirloom with a definition.
Brand Workshop

5. What & How & Why
What does Heirloom do and how
does it do it?
What
We provide high-quality travel experiences for
large-format groups. Our aim is to make our
guests feel an escape from the everyday in what
is still a familiar space for coming together and
building connections as a group.
How
We own the entire experience from conception,
to renovation, and finally traveler experience in
order to provide a standard, consistent high-
quality service that infuses customer-centric
hospitality with local knowledge.
Why [Dan/Frank - I am adding this step for
future workshops - would love your take on why
you thought there was an opportunity in this
market in one or two sentences]
Brand Workshop

6. Tensions
Cultural
More travelers want “authentic” experiences, however, the reality of staying in an “authentic” neighborhood can
be a rude awakening.
Expectations for vacation include connecting with others and unplugging, however, that is rarely the case
especially in hotels that can be isolating.
Everyone uses vacation to escape from their normal but the reality is they can’t usually give up the familiar.
Sub-Cultural
Bachelors and bachelorettes often don’t want to be stereotyped
What tensions impact the world of short-term home rentals?
Brand Workshop

7. Brand Workshop
Categorical
The fact that these homes are positioned as real people’s homes makes people feel more constrained in their
behavior.
Category suffers because the worst-offenders in quality damage the reputation of every player.
These “homes” are really usually not anyone’s actual home.
Industry wants to be part of the local community but may actually be making it more unaffordable and
accelerating gentrification.
Psychological
People use our properties/experience to achieve a desired social status/image that they are not currently
achieving in their day-to-day life
What tensions impact the world of short-term home rentals?

8. Company-Centric
We talk about quality being consistent across properties but we know ~25% aren’t where we’d like them to be.
We aren’t the “hosts” we are pretending to be
Not all of our properties are really for large-format groups (4-6+?)
Guest comms sometimes still drops the ball
What tensions impact the world of short-term home rentals?
Brand Workshop

9. Values
Group together Values Terms in
five buckets that you think reflect
the culture/values at Heirloom
Group 1:
Problem Solvers, Unafraid, Risk-taker, Hustler,
Creative Thinker
Group 2:
Acts Transparently, Accountable, “Do the right
thing”
Group 3:
Attention to Detail, Data-Driven
Group 4:
Passion, Fun
Group 5:
Inclusive, Open, Flexible, Approachable, “Best
ideas from the front”
Brand Workshop

10. Personality Sliders
Brand Workshop

11. Design Preferences - Top Three
Brand Workshop
● Thoughtful mixture of real-life
imagery + illustrations
● Combination of bright
“modern/tech-forward” color
highlight layered on more subdued
color pallet
● Joy and Movement

12. Design Preferences - Bottom Three
Brand Workshop
● Dark/Heavy color palette
● High level of Complexity in layout
● Hard “masculine” edges
● Heavy tech feeling with vibrant
neon colors or all subdued, muted
colors

13. Brand Point

14. The Brand Point
Background
The Brand’s Point can be found at the intersection
of the Tension and the Brand’s Best Self.
Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” and BP’s
“Beyond Petroleum” are great examples of this
concept.
These campaigns connected the brand to a high-
impact social/cultural issue.
Brand Point
Point

15. Brand Point Background
Brand Point
Tension Point Best-Self
Should be:
● Illicit emotional reaction
● Make for a conversation
● Something we can have a
credible viewpoint on
Should be:
● Our view of the world
● A surprising belief
● Something we can commit
for the long haul
● Have an enemy
● World would be a better
place of…
Shouldn’t be:
● Too similar to someone
else
● Generic or disposable
Should be:
● True to the root/history of
the brand
● Distinctive or Quirky
● Hard to fit /w any other
brand

16. Heirloom’s Point
We focused on the psychological tension that the
team identified: that people use travel as a form of
consumption i.e. communicating something about
themselves to the world.
We defined Best Self as making guests feel like
they are the “it” group of travelers - at the
confluence of local “in-the-know” spots with great
accommodations to come together in.
At the intersection, Heirloom believes the world
will be a better place when people get to
experience a travel that makes them feel like they
are part of the group everyone wishes they were in.
Brand Point

17. Brand Strategy

18. Brand Strategy
Background
The Brand Point will help us set the north star of
The Vision. Then based on the inputs of the
workshop we flow down through the Mission,
Strategy, and Best Self.
Values are the behaviors we need from our people
to support each of those elements.
Brand Strategy

19. Brand Strategy
Vision
We make people feel like their group is the “it” group - even if it’s just for a weekend.
Mission
Our mission is to provide a standard, consistent high-quality service that infuses customer-centric hospitality
with local knowledge.
Strategy
Our strategy is to own every facet our business - from conception, to renovation, and finally traveler experience.
Best Self
We are at the intersection of local “in-the-know” spots with great spaces to come together as a group.
Brand Strategy

20. Values
Problem-Solving
We’re problem-solvers for who [do we put our guests first ?? not sure how much you want to promise in customer service].
Ownership
We’re owners who act transparently and are accountable for doing the right thing for our guests and owners.
Attention to Detail
We’re detail-oriented and know the metrics of our business
Passion
We’re passionate, fun-loving people [who are united in our mission to deliver a high-quality, consistent experience].
Leading from the Front
We’re engaged at what is happening at every level - no task is beneath anyone.
Brand Strategy

21. Brand Positioning

22. Positioning
Issue - What are we here to solve?
● Travelers struggle to find great spaces to bring together large groups
● Travelers want a trusted brand instead of renting from of a platform
Solution
We provide high-quality travel experiences for large-format groups. We ensure a consistent experience by owning the
conception, renovation, and finally traveler experience.
How we Position Heirloom
Position Heirloom (booking) as the trusted alternative for booking large-format groups that ensures you will have an
experience worth sharing - something one of the platforms could never guarantee.
Personality
Heirloom is young, innovative, and even a little rebellious (vs. the big platforms) while never compromisingon being the
authority for local culture and spots.
Brand Positioning

23. Value Props
Position Heirloom (booking) as the trusted alternative for booking a large-format groups that ensures you will have an
experience worth sharing - something one of the platforms could never guarantee.
Book Direct & Save
Book through stayloom.com and save on fees charged by other sites.
● Details: 3% or more
● Same protection as VRBO/HomeAway
Bespoke Properties
We buy, renovate, and manage our properties to ensure a consistent high-quality experience across all of our homes.
Guest Services
Our team is available around-the-clock to assist you and share their local expertise.
---- Potential 4 & 5---
Group-Friendly
Our properties are designed with great common spaces for groups to spend quality time together
Peace of Mind or Trust and Safety
Because we operate and maintain every property, we guarantee xyz [refund policy?]
Brand Positioning

24. Brand Essence
Ideas:
---
We Guarantee it will be an experience worth sharing
---
An Experience Worth Sharing
---
Heirloom
An Experience Worth Sharing
---
Worth Sharing - Every Time
---
NEVER CANNED. ALWAYS CURATED. HEIRLOOM.
---
Redefining the home rental experience
---
A new standard for home rentals
---
Brand Positioning
Ideas:
---
Group Travel. Simplified
---
Book Direct & Save
---
Enjoy the finest homes and service all around the world
(one fine stay)
---
Enjoy Luxury Homes with Local Hospitality
An Experience Worth Sharing
---

25. Brand Research

26. Brand Research
Value Props:
● Unmatched Selection
● Customers service
● “Vacation Differently”

27. Brand Research
Value Props:
● Locally owned
● Manage booking process
● Maximize profitability for local
owners

28. Brand Research
Value Props:
Distinctive properties in 180
destinations
● Visits and vets each home
● Prepare each home
● 24/7 guest services
● Extra services and experiences

29. Brand Research
Value Props:
● Build your best vacation [over 2 million
rentals]
● Book with confidence
○ Security deposit protection
○ Comprehensive payment
protection
○ Emergency rebooking
● Escape confines of hotel