From Socializing to Raw Adventure
(Client)
Hello Travel
(Team)
CEO, Brand Manager
(My role)
Art Director & UI Designer
(Problem statement)
"Les Aventureurs" (part of Hello Travel) was outgrowing its original identity. Formerly positioned as a "travel with strangers to make friends" brand, the business model shifted toward high-intensity, off-the-beaten-path expeditions.
The existing brand looked too "leisure-focused" and social, failing to attract the hardcore adventure seekers the company now targeted.
The Goal: Align the Art Direction with a new value proposition: Raw immersion. Attract a more daring audience by differentiating from competitors who focus on comfort and standard tourism.
Discovery & Research
(User research & discovery)
Our audience doesn't want a "holiday"; they want a challenge. The branding needed to feel rugged, authentic, and immersive.
(Stakeholder co-creation workshops)
I worked directly with the CEO and Brand Manager to translate their vision into a tangible design strategy:
- Deep-dives to define the "New Explorer" persona—users who prioritize exceptional experiences over comfort.
- Competitive Analysis: Identifying the "Sea of Sameness" in the travel industry (blue skies, generic smiles) to ensure our new positioning stood out.
The Design
Results
(Key outcomes)
- Strategic Rebranding: Successfully pivoted the brand image from "Social Club" to "Adventure Expert,".
- Market Differentiation: Established a unique visual territory that separates Les Aventureurs from mass-market travel agencies.
(Retrospective)
- Direct CEO Collaboration: Working directly with the founders taught me how to translate high-level business pivots into specific UI choices (like font weight or image selection).
- The Power of Narrative: I learned that in the adventure sector, immersion is a conversion tool. If the user feels the "dust and the wind" through the screen, they are already halfway to booking.
(Let's get in touch)