THE BRIEF
THE BRIEF
Originally, the owners of this family hotel approached us with the intent to boost and sell the property. Perhaps exhausted to handle
yet another seasonal wave of random tourists, demanding nothing more or less than the established Black Sea treatment - overpriced
greasy foods and fake alcohol; loud oriental music; crowded beaches full of garbage, rude waitresses in short skirts - all of these, perhaps,
accepted by tourist opinion as the golden
standard of local hospitality services. Regardless of the reason to sell, the end goal was clear:
- draw attention to the venue
- look expensive and exclusive
- stand out from the mass and make a statement
At that time, the current state of Hotel Relax Sozopol, however, suggested otherwise - demanding no less than a ton of work and a unique
vision, to move the joint in the direction of the aforementioned goals. Standing proud, four-stories tall, Hotel Relax at first glance appeared a bit
outdated; a hint of 90s fancy, solid build, progressive in design, a little worn out around the edges. A rather rare example of decent Black Sea
coastline construction, housing a simple restaurant, serving outdoor tables, next to a small swimming pool. At the same time, Relax Sozopol
was blessed with a top location - a first-liner, built right on edge of a cliff above the sea. A steep and narrow staircase that started near the
poolside, arrived at the bottom of the cliff, where a brief line of sand and sea could pass for a private beach, with just a pinch of work.
And the sunset view? Vivid, raw, near painful..
Well past its glory days, but regardless, Relax Sozopol offered us a solid foundation to build upon - the rest was easy - sugar, spice
and lots of ice!What more can a team of digital transformers on a mission, ask for?
REINVENT. REINTRODUCE. RETELL. RESELL
What the brand Relax Sozopol needed, was not simply a change of style. It needed an EDGE.
And at Studio Rubik edge, we got…
OUR ANGLE
OUR ANGLE
This ReBrand was different. It was almost as if starting from scratch, with the only thing worth keeping being the old name, treasured by
the owners.
Relax Sozopol.
What could be done? How to make it more appealing to visiting foreigners? How to make it clever? We refused to hear of limitations, of
local market expectations, of stubborn Status Quos. We wanted change, change as a collective overwhelming experience. We needed
proper ideology. In hopes of planting the seed of a new lifestyle movement, we started with the Lingo. Inspired by LA’s cult phrase “SoCal”,
we played around with combinations, chewed on letters.
In its core, RELAX is all so much about that life: SoCal, SoBoho, SoHo, SoSummer, So… Zop.
Those who know will know. All the rest are free to ask but can’t expect an answer, not until the music stops, anyway. And the night is still
so young, o-so-young.
SoZopol. What is it? What is SoZopol?
Sozopol is like so-o-o-o much more than a place or an event. It is a state of mind, adopted by a rare breed of new-age Beduins and digital nomads.
A moment in space-time, where consciousness collects, before it dissolves again, returning with nostalgia to the sea at night that whispers, in waves,
not in words:
“So… Zopol… So… Zopol… So… Zopo…l”
THE OUTCOME
THE OUTCOME
It’s safe to say that the final result bears fruit from the collective efforts of a lovely bunch of talented people - among which installation artists,
carpenters, interior designers, filmmakers, gourmet chefs, working day and night to transform a trivial obsolete venue into the hottest place
this summer. Everyone’s commitment to the long and tricky process of ReBranding, only elevated our work further. Hotel Relax found itself
suddenly booked for weeks ahead. Teasing viewers from afar with tasty posts on social media about a mystic world of escapism somewhere
near the shores of Sozopol, where vibes are chill but hip, and the house beat is deep, completed by a selection of mouthwatering gourmet
surprises by the hands of master chefs.
The grande finale was marked by an invitational Siesta - a Jungle-themed pool party, which attracted the presence of influencers, journalists,
and business persons. We took the chance to film the happening and produced a boho lifestyle cinematic video, for brand awareness purposes,
to serve as a business card and sales tool, if Relax Sozopol goes up for sale on the market.
Unexpectedly, by the end of the ReBrand campaign, it seemed like the owners had had a change of heart, perhaps to reinvent the passion for
summer hospitality and social events. Perhaps a little in love with the new and reborn essence of the former place; the funky people it had
brought together for a rare celebration of life. Rumour has it, that hotel RELAX SoZopol will open doors like arms again next summer, to
embrace all the kindred-spirited souls that had once before gathered to Relax their own way. (Not to mention how well financially the
revived business had performed throughout the high season)
A change of Brand, a change of heart.
Perhaps.