The Hendrick
Artist in residence: James Early
The mission
A new concept for Irish hospitality. A high-impact, low-friction way to stay in the city for work or play.
The Hendrick had a killer concept for a minimalist lifestyle hotel that would sit in the space between an elevated hostel and a contemporary boutique property. So they came to us for a vibrant identity that would launch them into the Dublin hotel scene with a bang.
The question
What does it really mean to bring a fresh perspective to hospitality?
We do a lot of work with hospitality brands, and we love it. A hotel is a hotel is a hotel…or is it? Each hotel we work with has a unique onlyness. It’s our job to find it and make it shine. The Hendrick wanted to reach the early adopters, influencers and trendsetters who are making travel decisions today.
The Hendrick offers affordable luxury. They needed a brand that would speak directly and intimately to savvy Millennial and Gen Z travellers in a way that was real and authentic.
The process
The Hendrick is located in Smithfield, which is one of Dublin’s cooler, more Bohemian neighbourhoods. The branding needed to reflect and amplify that attitude and sense of place to appeal to guests who want a real taste of the city, not a bland, watered down tourist experience.
The hotel interiors were modern, colourful, and dramatic, centred around their large collection of street art from local and international recognised artists. This set the tone for the colour palette, bold typography choices and cheeky tone of voice.
The transformation
The Hendrick’s final brand identity is a riot of colour, attitude and exuberance. Creative, laid back, with a rollicking sense of energy and craic.
The job was always to capture that personality and spirit. We created key pieces that guests would interact with directly: room keys, door hangers and a banging bar menu. And then, we handed it over to them with a comprehensive brand bible to make it simple and easy for staff and management to carry the identity forward into the future, which is where The Hendrick has always belonged.
