We all love a good story, and The Royal was a marketing fairytale in the telling. A fading, heritage icon of the Bognor Regis seafront about to be returned to its former glory – yet this time re-set and transformed for modern living.
Simple enough, right? Not quite. The regeneration was publicly sensitive, and a significant investment was at stake. The brand message and brand marketing needed careful reflection. With no in-house resources or a clear idea of how to combine these considerations, Flintlock Marketing was bolted-on and integrated as the brand and marketing team.
Much more than just pretty websites, our clients work with us for the valuable upfront, strategic work we do with them. Couched within their business goals, we help them to understand and know what the brand stands for, and what their customer wants. Then, only then, use that to spark clear, creative and cost-effective marketing decisions and output.
It was clear that the owner-developer Metamorph, an ambitious SME, needed to first re-visit its brand. They were at a pivotal business moment, setting foot into a new market, and a change of investment direction. With vital strategic discussions we landed them on ’transformation’ as a way to articulate optimism and real change.
It crystallised their intention as a brand for regeneration, quality and responsiveness, and identified their target market to categorised homebuyers within a 50-mile radius, local authorities and residents. We were then able to filter this through into the brand and marketing strategy for The Royal project.
In its visible seafront location, the project would demonstrate the quality of Metamorph’s work, and be a statement of their commitment to regeneration. In essence, it would set the tone of the discourse for their reputation around town – a place they intended to remain and work over the long term, for business success.
The landmark building is held firmly in the town’s affections – ‘everyone has a Royal story’, we were told. Pictured on the postcards too, we knew that people were going to worry about its outcome. In contrast, Bognor Regis, a town defined by tired seaside tropes, presented challenges for how to attract homebuyers for its lifestyle.
Firing up our creative team, we moved into action to create and produce branding visuals and content to get the story, and local insights just right. We set the brand position with a clear, calm message of ‘Harmony with Heritage’ and made the building the hero – but with an enticing twist. This was to be “The Royal – reimagined”.
Using romance copy, historical images and a specially created suite of graphics and fonts, inspired by the original hotel’s signage, we demonstrated sensitivity to the building’s past and location. We followed its long story and brought it back to life.
We then complemented this with a fresh modern colour palette and contemporary interior CGI images. The lifestyle benefits projected through the enjoyment of living just “A Pebble’s Throw From Beach and Town”.
Running all aspects of the project, our marketing lead, copywriter and designer could ensure consistency in the brand, briefing, and building positive working relationships with local agents and suppliers.
Output to date has seen us devise and produce a 20-metre hoarding, a full website, online and printed brochure—all strategically devised marketing tools that are on message, beautifully branded and designed. The next step is to maximise these as the launch goes live, and the story is re-told to the market.
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