01. The Role of Story-telling in Hospitality Branding
When it comes to branding restaurants and hotels, a strong identity needs to do more than look good. It needs to tell a compelling story that people actually want to be a part of.
Hospitality brands live in a world of experiences. Guests aren’t just buying food, drink, or a place to stay for the night, they’re investing in a feeling, a want to be part of something. That feeling is brought to life through the details: the type-setting on a menu, the texture of a box or the way the craft in a logotype speaks to heritage or place. Each design decision is a chance to connect with a customer’s emotion, beyond what’s physically infront of them.
I’ve seen how important it is to design in a way that roots everything in culture and narrative. For Legado, the typography and system were inspired by the Basque region, Nieves’ home. That layer of meaning added authenticity and depth to the overall brand system, without it, the brand identity wouldn’t have worked.
Storytelling doesn’t have to look like overt signalling or gimmiky language. Instead, it can be in the subtle details: colour that recalls a place, illustration that captures a tradition, or a logo that reflects the feeling of being somewhere.
For hospitality brands, the goal is always to create spaces and moments that people remember. Design will always be part of that memory. When a system is backed by a story, it resonates much more deeply, and lingers long after the meal or the stay is over.