UNIQUE SITUATION

The new General Manager of John Hancock Observatory, Daniel Thomas, arrived in Chicago without a marketing department or any creative resource to call on. Enter The Pond, stage left.

CHALLENGE

Re-build a brand literally from the ground up within a short timeframe. Urgency was paramount to prevent Sears Tower gaining a competitive advantage in the lead up to the summer season. It was all hands on deck, with Daniel and his new team working with The Pond to think innovatively on every job.

SCOPE

130 briefs touching on everything from advertising, to a new brand identity, new website and even input on merchandise, uniforms and signage.

TEAM

It's amazing who you can find when you look. Six of the nine creative consultants had a specific understanding of the US domestic and international markets, including designer Brogen Averill (ex- StrawberryFrog Amsterdam), web designer Amanda Gould (ex- Associate Creative Director of FCB New York) and strategist Sue Worthington (ex- Mojo New York).

STRATEGY

The observatory wasn't the highest viewing platform in town, so we planned to make it the best experience. While the client worked on enhancing the product offering—including a new multimedia tour, new ticketing options, a new café and refurbishment—we drove new business through flexible, quick-win advertising initiatives and a fresh, contemporary design that automatically set the observatory apart.

CREATIVE SOLUTION

All elements flowed from the logo design, which plays on the building's distinctive cross bracing. We used colour to create a sense of movement from the bottom of the building to the point of the experience at the top, mirroring the tapering effect of the building itself. We then applied this triangle effect to a complete brand identity system, ranging from collateral, directional signage and uniforms to advertising and online activity.

THE RESULTS

Ticket sales have significantly increased month-on-month since the re-brand.