The Future of Travel is Bright
Travel and hospitality brands are timid as hell. Seriously. Where’s the perspective? The opinions? The storytelling? The industry seems comfortable farming out the essential tasks of brand-building to guests, influencers, and third party review sites. I’m speaking generally, but it’s pretty clear this space would benefit from a brand that’s not afraid to spin their own yarn.
The Backstory
Brightwild isn’t your everyday travel brand. They’ve got a standout portfolio of vacation rentals, unparalleled local knowledge, and literal on-your-street service. But they’re also property developers and managers. Invested locals. They’ve even got a real estate arm. That’s a lot to capture in a single brand identity.Thankfully, after an on-location immersion, interviews, audience personas, audits, and deep conversations with a visionary client, it became clear Brightwild was willing to take charge of the narrative.
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The Strategic Foundation
It doesn’t always go this way, but we landed the big idea quickly, partially thanks to an impromptu brand manifesto*. The gist? The best trip isn’t an escape from reality. It’s a closer connection to it. This thesis became the lynchpin of our creative process. The brand personality? Strong and unapologetic, balancing curiosity, authenticity, and joy with a little bit of rebellion. The verbal identity? A straight-talking optimist who wears their heart on their sleeve. Brightwild serves the people who prioritize connection over affirmation, eschewing bland messaging for a bold and adventurous style that reflects the organic, grow-as-you-go side of travel.
The Verbal Identity
One of my first steps in crafting a verbal identity is something like an inkblot test, but for headlines. We spin our proposed voice out in different directions, showing lines one by one to determine which particular calibration of tonal attributes punches you right in the gut. Travel like you’ve been there was one of those lines. So was Good. Better. Brightwild.
I think it’s because these feel so at odds with the industry. They’re assertive and pointed, bordering on snippy—just sharp enough to cut through the dreamy and deferential messaging that dominates the space. The rest of our messages embody the confidence common to masters of their craft and feel one step ahead of the fun police, appealing to travelers who know what they’re looking for, even if they aren’t sure where to find it. And the client loved it.**
The Fine Line
The voice is dynamic, distinct…and a bit of a tightrope. Some early explorations read less like a maverick and more like an asshole, transmuting our you-deserve-the-best positivity into a sort of shade-throwing anarchy. To get past it, we tightened our parameters and added more definition. There’s no superiority complex—just a genuine confidence Brightwild can improve on the status quo.
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The Takeaway
I’ve never seen a client launch a brand with such intention. The website, the socials, the print, the swag, the events… all feel SO Brightwild. I’m especially proud that they’re still crushing copy without our help. Guidelines alone don’t get that done—it takes an identity that’s ownable, flexible, and totally genuine.
*I'm a big believer that you should always write a manifesto when creating something new, even if it stays locked away in your diary forever. It’s great inspiration.
**The client printed the manifesto for their brand launch party, and I proudly Vanna White’d the shit outta that thing. All clients should do this, IMO.
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Written by Cameron Leberecht, Senior Writer, Matchstic
CREATIVE CREDITS:
Agency: Matchstic
Creative Direction: Blake Howard
Design: Brit Blankenship (Director), Cody Bass (Sr. Designer)
Strategy: Tracy Clark (Director), Kenny Isidoro (Sr. Strategist)
Project Management: Melissa Kruse (Director)
The Future of Travel is Bright
Travel and hospitality brands are timid as hell. Seriously. Where’s the perspective? The opinions? The storytelling? The industry seems comfortable farming out the essential tasks of brand-building to guests, influencers, and third party review sites. I’m speaking generally, but it’s pretty clear this space would benefit from a brand that’s not afraid to spin their own yarn.
The Backstory
Brightwild isn’t your everyday travel brand. They’ve got a standout portfolio of vacation rentals, unparalleled local knowledge, and literal on-your-street service. But they’re also property developers and managers. Invested locals. They’ve even got a real estate arm. That’s a lot to capture in a single brand identity.Thankfully, after an on-location immersion, interviews, audience personas, audits, and deep conversations with a visionary client, it became clear Brightwild was willing to take charge of the narrative.
The Strategic Foundation
It doesn’t always go this way, but we landed the big idea quickly, partially thanks to an impromptu brand manifesto*. The gist? The best trip isn’t an escape from reality. It’s a closer connection to it. This thesis became the lynchpin of our creative process. The brand personality? Strong and unapologetic, balancing curiosity, authenticity, and joy with a little bit of rebellion. The verbal identity? A straight-talking optimist who wears their heart on their sleeve. Brightwild serves the people who prioritize connection over affirmation, eschewing bland messaging for a bold and adventurous style that reflects the organic, grow-as-you-go side of travel.
The Verbal Identity
One of my first steps in crafting a verbal identity is something like an inkblot test, but for headlines. We spin our proposed voice out in different directions, showing lines one by one to determine which particular calibration of tonal attributes punches you right in the gut. Travel like you’ve been there was one of those lines. So was Good. Better. Brightwild.
I think it’s because these feel so at odds with the industry. They’re assertive and pointed, bordering on snippy—just sharp enough to cut through the dreamy and deferential messaging that dominates the space. The rest of our messages embody the confidence common to masters of their craft and feel one step ahead of the fun police, appealing to travelers who know what they’re looking for, even if they aren’t sure where to find it. And the client loved it.**
The Fine Line
The voice is dynamic, distinct…and a bit of a tightrope. Some early explorations read less like a maverick and more like an asshole, transmuting our you-deserve-the-best positivity into a sort of shade-throwing anarchy. To get past it, we tightened our parameters and added more definition. There’s no superiority complex—just a genuine confidence Brightwild can improve on the status quo.
The Takeaway
I’ve never seen a client launch a brand with such intention. The website, the socials, the print, the swag, the events… all feel SO Brightwild. I’m especially proud that they’re still crushing copy without our help. Guidelines alone don’t get that done—it takes an identity that’s ownable, flexible, and totally genuine.
*I'm a big believer that you should always write a manifesto when creating something new, even if it stays locked away in your diary forever. It’s great inspiration.
**The client printed the manifesto for their brand launch party, and I proudly Vanna White’d the shit outta that thing. All clients should do this, IMO.
Written by Cameron Leberecht, Senior Writer, Matchstic
CREATIVE CREDITS:
Agency: Matchstic
Creative Direction: Blake Howard
Design: Brit Blankenship (Director), Cody Bass (Sr. Designer)
Strategy: Tracy Clark (Director), Kenny Isidoro (Sr. Strategist)
Project Management: Melissa Kruse (Director)
