Since 2006, Lippincott has worked with Hyatt to introduce six new brands, each with a distinctive experience and personality that caters to different guests, travel occasions, and price points. The challenge this time was to help Hyatt introduce a lifestyle hotel network designed for the modern explorer — a technologically savvy, adventurous, global traveler who seeks to “live the location” he or she is visiting.

Lippincott’s long history with the Hyatt brand portfolio gave us a deep understanding of its existing brand experiences and the opportunity areas for launching a new boutique offering. Research revealed a new type of traveler — the “modern explorer” — who would serve as the inspiration for the concept. They are a group of multigenerational, savvy, curious consumers who want an uncomplicated but intuitive experience. They also value a human touch in a digital world — knowledgeable staff that are personally familiar with the best each destination has to offer.

With “Centric” selected as the name that best epitomized this experience, Lippincott set out to design the new identity and bring the brand to life. The logo is inspired by the streets and intersections that make up every great destination, and it includes the “pin drop” that puts the guest in the center of the action. The broader visual system brings together an eclectic mix of photography and illustration to highlight the best food, culture, shopping, and events in each city that will feature Hyatt Centric hotels. Lippincott also worked with illustrator Christoph Niemann to develop a set of custom character illustrations that express the brand’s personality and represent Hyatt Centric guests — cool, confident, and looking for an adventure every time they touch down in a new destination.

To unveil the new hotel concept, Lippincott created a brand microsite and launch video. Both highlight key aspects of the hotel experience and helped build excitement for the new space among employees, customers and hotel developers.

From artwork to room keycards to surprising signature touches, each Hyatt Centric hotel will have its own personality that reflects the city it’s in. With an exciting new brand to convey this experience, Hyatt is well poised to make a splash in the travel industry with a new offering that appeals to the modern explorer. The press expressed excitement about Hyatt entering this boutique market, given its strength in the industry and consistently high levels of service across brands, and customers are eagerly awaiting the openings.