De Casa

Mini Brand Development for Café-to-Hotel Collaboration

Timeline: 3-Day Rapid Strategy Sprint
Role: Brand Strategist & Creative Collaborator

The Challenge
With just three days on the clock, I was tasked with crafting a strategic marketing and branding proposal for a unique collaboration: a community-focused immigrant-owned Latin American restaurant expanding its presence into a boutique hotel setting. The goal? Develop a distinct yet complementary "mini brand" — one that preserved the heart and flavor of the original restaurant, while adapting seamlessly to a hospitality environment with its own identity and guest experience.

The Approach
Working alongside a trusted business team, we navigated tight parameters and high stakes. Our solution balanced creative flair with strategic precision — distilling the restaurant’s essence into a portable brand experience tailored for the hotel space. From visual identity and brand positioning to audience alignment and service adaptation, every element was designed to speak to both loyal customers and hotel guests encountering the brand for the first time.

The Outcome
Our proposal laid the groundwork for thoughtful negotiation and positioned the restaurant for successful integration into a new and elevated context. The process showcased not only creative agility but also a deep understanding of how to translate brand DNA across industries without dilution.

View presentation (note: some names [Redacted] for privacy)

Additional context: From being Social Media Coordinator, I was able to pull from photos I've taken and archived content to draw inspiration. This involved creating a content hub and several design systems that can now be used for evergreen content that brings in customers and connects with the Minneapolis local audience. Check out the seasonal evolution of the cafe on IG.