Bygone Hotel – Lifestyle Campaign (2025)

The Bygone Hotel had charm and views, but need engagement outside weekend bookings. Our creative direction transformed the property into a lifestyle destination with experiences, events, and visuals people could’t ignore.

PROJECT RECAP

To create a full-spectrum lifestyle campaign, we executed a mix of experiential, visual, and social initiatives:

Experiential programming: Developed mixology classes, bouquet-making, plate & paint, yoga, and other hands-on events to drive weekday traffic and local engagement.
Property & space design: Collaborated with leadership to design and build an Airstream bar and seating area, convert a reading room/library into a coworking/event space, and enhance grounds with decks, signage, and other visual beautification.
Art direction & photography: Guided the videographer, models, and photoshoots for social and homepage landing video assets; led concept-to-execution for all visuals.
Merchandise: Designed hats, hoodies, and postcards to create community connection and on-brand experiences—hoodies sold out in under three months, heart hats sold quickly.
Social & paid content: Managed Instagram @the.bygone (11k followers), creating posts that averaged 75–150 likes, while supplying assets for paid ad campaigns.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

As Creative Lead, I oversaw the full visual and experiential direction of the campaign. I concepted, art-directed, and shot photography, guided videography production and editing, and ensured visual consistency across all assets—from social posts to merchandise to experiential events. I collaborated with owners, directors, contractors, and other creatives to bring complex ideas to life, balancing brand storytelling with operational feasibility.

RESULTS

Experiential events regularly drew 15–30 participants, strengthening local connections and driving repeat engagement.
Merchandise sales: Hoodies sold out in under three months; limited-edition heart hats sold quickly.
Social engagement: Organic posts averaged 75–150 likes on a following of 11k; visual assets were reused for paid campaigns and storytelling across channels.
Property transformation: Spaces like the Airstream bar and reading room library enabled weddings, corporate retreats, and additional revenue opportunities.
Brand positioning: Established the Bygone Hotel as a community-driven, experiential boutique destination, providing content and visuals that continue to drive engagement and bookings.

CREATIVE TEAM
Mimi Wilder — Creative Lead | Art Direction, Designer Photography, Social Strategy
Morgan VanHyfte — Director & Brand Oversight
Chris Herndon — Owner, Brand Vision
JuJu Merten — Logo & Visual Identity Designer