Facing the challenges brought on by the pandemic, one of the largest hotel chains in the Nordics, Nordic Choice Hotels, needed to reinvent themselves and expand the way they provide hospitality. In a process involving hundreds of employees, Strawberry was born.

Our brief was to create a brand identity that could present everything Strawberry has to offer in a distinct and inspiring way –an immersive brand universe that would trigger curiosity and seamlessly unite the digital and physical experience.

Strawberry is now one of the largest hotel chains in the Nordics with more than 18,000 employees and more than 225 hotels in over 100 destinations. The portfolio includes both popular hotel chains and unique independent boutique hotels.

The global pandemic, with quarantine periods, closed borders and travel limitations, led to hospitality and tourism businesses suffering tremendous losses. Facing the challenges brought on by the pandemic, Nordic Choice Hotels initiated a complete repositioning and rebranding of the company to strengthen their business model and unlock new revenue streams.

Strawberry needed to be more than just a booking portal for their hotels, restaurants, and spas. That was simply not enough. So we created something much more inspiring. Strawberry is an endorser of experiences, a gateway to a world of unforgettable moments.

The new design concept reflects the Strawberry universe of experiences through a distinct visual framework that invites people to go deeper and explore more.

The core building block, a graphic abstraction of a strawberry, lays the foundation and the soft and round shapes are a recurring element throughout the identity, from layout to typography and animation.

A custom-made typeface and wordmark was developed with typographic details that allude to the shapes of the symbol and hold the visual expression together.

The new layout system is based on the concept of creating portals to different experiences, and the motion style is inspired by the gravitational and fluid movements within a spatial universe. It activates and presents the content in a simple yet energetic way, inspiring the audience to partake and interact.

The result is a warm and immersive brand experience that invites you to be curious and explore more.

The new brand identity was launched in May 2023 and multiple brand trackings are underway. The preliminary results however are looking extremely good on both internal and external drivers.