Project Type: Conceptual Brand System / Brand Uplift
Context: Apprenticeship Brand Exercise
Focus: Brand refinement and system expansion
Scope: Visual identity, brand language, applications
Developed a conceptual brand uplift for Soho House, focused on refining and extending the brand system to better support its positioning as a global network of upscale creative clubs, restaurants, and country houses.
The Challenge
Soho House operates at the intersection of hospitality, culture, and creativity across cities worldwide. While the brand is already well-established, its rapid global expansion creates challenges around consistency, refinement, and scalability.
The brief focused on exploring how the brand could:
- Feel more cohesive across global locations
- Maintain exclusivity without becoming rigid
- Support a wide range of touchpoints, from dining to residential experiences
Strategic Consideration: Global Brand, Local Identity
Soho House locations each carry their own identity markers tied to place, culture, and community. The challenge was preserving that individuality while strengthening the cohesion of the global brand.
The concept explored a master brand system that:
- Maintains a consistent visual foundation across all locations
- Allows individual houses to express local character through imagery, tone, and curated marketing collateral
- Supports location-specific storytelling without fragmenting the core brand
Brand System Approach (Updated)
Cohesive Framework
The uplifted system established a shared visual language — typography, layout principles, and restraint — that unified the brand across locations.
This ensured consistency across:
- Global communications
- Hospitality and dining materials
- Editorial and cultural programming
Local Expression Layer
Within the shared framework, individual houses retained their identity through:
- Location-specific imagery and photography
- Tailored editorial content and marketing materials
- Contextual applications reflecting local culture and atmosphere
This allowed each house to feel distinct without breaking the brand.
Concept Applications
Conceptual applications demonstrated how the system could flex between:
- A global Soho House identity
- Individual house expressions tied to place
These applications showed how the brand could scale worldwide while preserving the character that makes each house unique.
Why This Matters
This approach balances global consistency with local relevance, a critical requirement for international hospitality brands.
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