A fresh new identity & experience design for the world of competitive leisure
Expertise
Market and Competitor Insight
Primary User Research and Analysis
Brand Positioning and Proposition
Brand Identity
UI and UX Design
Art Direction
Define a powerful brand story, vibrant new identity and venue experience to transform and resonate across every touchpoint.
With the dynamic playing field of ‘competitive leisure’ catching fire across the UK, Hollywood Bowl’s mini-golf brand Puttstars, asked us to move them up a league in relevance and engagement of younger customers, while retaining family appeal and extending their ‘day parts’ and increasing F&B revenues.
To create a magical experience that brings the joy of the game to the nation, throughout the day, and long into the night.
Movement, Power and Personality
A vibrant and intensely colourful image combined with a dynamic customer experience & interior design that changes in atmosphere across the different areas of play and relaxation. .The physical experience design completely integrated with a range of brand elements expressed as high-impact physical art pieces. We developed experience zones for the bar, pizza kitchen and arcade areas. The three courses became distinct experiences, each with a tongue-in-cheek reference to a different level of ‘putting prowess’.
Capturing the Experience
Puttstars is all about memory-making moments of magic, achievement and failure: the highs and lows of the game and all the facial expressions they provoke. We art-directed videography and photography, targeting new audiences through their marketing. The imagery required flexibility to work across their social channels, but most importantly, the content had to convey the spirit of the brand to a wide range of customers.
Embedding Digital
We worked with the Puttstars team to elevate the experience across multiple touch-points from mobile & desktop website, to social media strategy, F&B and in-game scoring.
It has been a pleasure working with the I-AM team on the positioning and interiors for our Puttstars mini golf brand. The process was seamless, fun and most importantly underpinned by solid consumer research. We’re proud of the new Puttstars identity.
Behind the scenes
Brand Workshop
Building on their initial ‘trial’ centres, a fully customer-insight-led foundation for the brand and experience design was undertaken. Following a detailed research and customer analysis stage we identified four target audience personas. This defined the positioning, shifting towards a social experience with a focus on younger audiences and group gatherings, as well as families.
Videography
As part of the marketing strategy, we provided art direction for the brand videography and photography, overseeing the shoot days to ensure the spirit of the brand and the thrill of the game were captured. This culminated in video content with branded animation and plenty of social media content for launch.
Food Photography
As well as the lifestyle photography, we were heavily involved in the food and beverage photography. By incorporating the brand colours in the backdrops of the photography helps to create a visual consistency.
Branded Experience
As well as creating stunning concept designs for the surrounding spaces, our team collaborated with specialist mini golf course designers & build partners, discovering in the process all the technical ins & outs of what makes a great game challenge.
