We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Brand
When Andy Markoff bought a piece of land 25 minutes outside of Austin, he dreamed about transforming it into a fishing paradise. He gradually built the pond himself, named it Moby Dick’s Private Pond Fishing, and rounded up some fish. Soon after, Andy and his brother Dan decided to expand the property by setting up accompanying modern, country cottages for out-of-towners. This new phase called for a new brand identity and website.
The Challenge
✻
The Challenge ✻
The Markoff brothers needed an umbrella brand that could encompass both the high end rental cottages and lowkey fishing experience. They also needed a sub-brand for the cottages that would delineate them from Moby Dick’s. The brand needed to be a little hip, welcoming and fun, appealing to both new and familiar friends. Seeing as AirBnB takes a significant cut of rental earnings, it was also critical that the website allowed for direct bookings.
Keep reading to see how we overcame these obstacles, or just look at the results.
What We Did
The first order of business was to tackle a new identity and name. After brainstorming a range of options, the client settled on Outcast Landing. It felt like the perfect name for this quirky hidden gem. And of course, “cast” is a subtle nod to fishing.
In addition to coming up with a name for the overall destination, we needed a name for the rental units too. We settled on calling them “Dry Dock” – a cheeky, nautical play-on-words that establishes this as a separate amenity from Moby Dick’s Fishing Pond.
Next, we had to bring the brand alive with a new website. Inspiration for the brand look-and-feel was a mash-up of 1970s summer camps and director Richard Linklater’s vision of central Texas. The end result is an aesthetic that’s part funky, part outdoorsy, and hip but not pretentious. The aim was to appeal to urbanite weekenders and local anglers alike. This is seen in the logo, fonts and brand colors. Check it out for yourself here.
Finally, we focused on building a website that would also allow for an online booking system. Guests can easily view the various cottages, check availability and book directly under the “Lodging” tab of the new website.
