A new position for a pioneer of poses.

POSITIONING STRATEGY | MARKET RESEARCH | BRAND STORY | TAG LINE | MESSAGING | VISUAL IDENTITY | PHOTOSHOOT | ART DIRECTION

Project — After being acquired by Hyatt in August of 2017, Exhale set about to clarify its brand message in order to connect with the global audience. Although when Exhale was founded in 2001 its approach to the mind/body integration was a true innovation, by 2018 the concept Exhale helped introduce has become subsumed within our cultural consciousness, and is no longer a differentiator.

Additionally, because of the broadness of Exhale’s offering across both spa and fitness, there was confusion in the marketplace as to what Exhale actually was. Our challenge was to zoom out and help Exhale connect and clarify with its core values, and represent their story in a new light.

Strategy & Creative — Through extensive interviews with leadership and Hyatt-conducted focus groups, K+L crafted a new brand position and story, leveraging the psychological benefits we all get from “taking a break” from our routines, experiencing life anew, and reconnecting with ourselves. This tied in with the already-rising trend towards wellbeing—a broader concept than wellness, which as an industry has reached its peak to an extent.

With that position as the brand story foundation, we sought a differentiation of the brand through dance-inspired art direction for a photoshoot. Considering that the roots of barre are in ballet, and that most fitness photography came at things from a more representative nature, we sought to tease out the choreographic roots of barre—and Exhale’s approach to fitness in general—and selected a ethereal non-reality setting to help reinforce Exhale as an everyday wellbeing getaway.