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Brand Creation, Collateral, Website Design & Development
Since opening in 1927, the Riverside Tower Hotel in New York City has been known for its timeless charm and iconic views of Riverside Park. Much of its exterior has remained remarkably unchanged, but in 2023, the new owners decided to pursue a full interior renovation and were excited to reintroduce the property to the market.
Redpoint was tapped to develop and bring to life the entire brand, as well as all the tools needed for marketing, sales, and the guest experience. But the challenge came with a footnote, which was: “oh, and by the way…we only have a name and nothing else…and we need to launch in under six months.”
Our response? HOLD OUR BEER.
We cleared our decks, swooped in, and handled everything needed to shepherd the hotel to the goal line for a successful opening. Essential to this was creating a collapsed timeline from start to launch that militantly separated needs into “must have before launch,” “nice to have before launch,” and “needs to be done but can wait until after launch.” Here’s what unfolded during those intense six months:
We created logo, brand positioning, and a full brand identity guide in less than 60 days. The sloping element of the “R” in the logo mirrors the same curve of sloped lawn in front of their landmark location leading down to the Hudson River at Riverside Park. They were pretty giddy about that.
We got a splash page up immediately, which allowed for email newsletter signup and booking. We updated the splash page as information became available, while the full site was being built.
We got the full website developed and launched in the first 90 days. Our website design had to capture the energy of the neighborhood and “live like a local” experience. We focused on a guest-first approach, prioritizing visuals that gave guests an instant sense of the atmosphere, and copy that expressed the soul of the brand: historic, hip, and hospitable. The overall design is clean and minimal – with thoughtful touches of texture and color that reflect the surrounding landscape and the hotel’s interior character.
The result is a website that feels elevated yet relaxed, balancing city energy with a sense of escape.
We created all collateral and onsite branded items – keycards, in-room guest books, room number signs, and a slew of other things.
BUT WAIT…there’s more.
We built a photography schedule that mirrored their construction schedule, starting with a model room through the final completion of the last room, the penthouse (post-opening). We also managed the entire photography process, from styling strategy to final editing. Ultimately, the goal was to capture rich details – natural lighting, fixtures, interiors and exteriors, and scenic photos of the neighborhood and surrounding landscape – to showcase the full range of hotel renovations, from refined rooms and suites to guest experiences and amenities.
Also, we set up and launched their in-room television software that showcases branded content on the hotel TV and delivers updatable content specific to the property.
And of course we also set up their entire digital marketing ecosystem from scratch: website metric tools, ad campaigns, lead generation campaigns, social media channels and strategy, and email newsletter system/campaigns, and more. We developed thorough plans for each marketing channel, and even created a tailored training program for their designated onsite social media person. Plus, our overarching content calendar integrated messaging among all these channels seamlessly.
And then – oh, the joys of a soft opening during construction – it was our job to manage guest expectations prior and during their stay.
Guests and potential guests needed to be delicately but accurately apprised of what to expect onsite – noise, commotion, dust, etc. – and the situation evolved weekly. Our level of thoughtful communication throughout the entire booking life cycle prevented negative reviews (the kiss of death for any newly opened hotel) by ensuring guests were properly “warned” and knew what they were walking into.
The digital data tells a story of success. Since the 2023 launch:
- The new website generates seven figures in booking revenue annually, with SEO and Google Ad traffic directly contributing 75% of that revenue.
- The site maintains an impressive 70% engagement rate, showing strong user interaction.
- Thoughtful SEO strategy consistently secures first-page rankings for high-value search terms like “hotels in the Upper West Side” and “places to stay in the Upper West Side”, ensuring ongoing organic visibility.
- Google Ads consistently achieve an 8x return on ad spend annually, turning ad dollars into substantial revenue.
And the monthly newsletter we created/distributed/promoted during the first eight months of our program? It was designed to “build the brand” and the results here were equally strong. The newly created email newsletter outperformed industry standards, with a 36% open rate and 6.25% click through rate that moved subscribers from inbox to booking engine.
All this data is proof of exceptional results for this low-price-point but high-value hotel in one of NYC’s most desirable residential neighborhoods.
What other client challenges have we solved? See how we launched a new website to drive engagement for USTOA and developed a new “North Star” for Pelham Hospitality.
