How to move from a good idea to a appropriate brand positioning?

Background

Sociedad Histórica de Expediciones y Viajes nació de la voluntad de su creador, Tito Vivas, un arqueólogo y egiptólogo, que quería construir una empresa para realizar “viajes al pasado”. No tanto en el sentido de viajes en el tiempo, sino de tematizar viajes a través de acontecimientos y personajes históricos reales. El problema de Sociedad Histórica era que no conseguía traducir esa apuesta innovadora en ventas.

A different agency, but an agency

Fandom made an arduous investigation for Sociedad Histórica, including a brand audit, which provided a conclusive data report of the brand’s communication problems. One of the main obstacles of Sociedad Histórica was that it did not present itself as a travel agency. It was expressly introducing itself by saying “we are not a travel agency”. The questions of many potential customers when they approached the brand were: “so what do you offer?” or “but can I book a trip with you?”.

Renewal and evocation: I WAS THERE

Sociedad Histórica was launched onto the market with a vintage look and feel, in which the most common graphic elements of the Victorian age were completed with photographs of the XIX century or the beginning of the XX century. They had a strong ethnographic nature or its historical and informative values prevailed more than the evocative and suggestive character. Under the criteria of Fandom, Sociedad Histórica completely renewed its catalogs and its website incorporating photographs of great quality and with a landscape value that generated a greater engagement with its potential consumers.

To focus the whole essence of the message on a powerful claim, Fandom proposed that Sociedad Histórica communication revolve around the claim “I was there,” presenting the trips always along with that slogan. “When Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book. I was there “,” When Lagreé and Garnier photographed Angkor Wat. I was there”, “When Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil. I was there”.

The space

As the last step in the renewal of Sociedad Histórica, we raised the need to have a physical space that would give the brand image a certain solidity for some consumers. Although the main activity of Sociedad Histórica was to be held on the internet, the research data that we did revealed the need to have a physical space that would generate confidence and peace of mind to the more conservative consumers and to those ones less used to the e-commerce system or more reluctant to trust a 100% digital company.

The agency location was designed to be a springboard for the brand. The space brought together the best of its narrative and also allowed to generate new content. The décor was inspired by London’s halls and clubs, combined with a small museum of rare objects, pieces assembled on the agency’s trips and a suggestive travel library. In addition to receiving customers, the space is used to host book presentations, conferences or small cultural gatherings.