“Flow Against The Grain”: Reimagining Santa Monica’s Brand
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism faced a unique challenge as a world-renowned and iconic destination. They needed to differentiate themselves from Los Angeles and other SoCal beach destinations as well as showcase Santa Monica’s distinctive character earlier in the traveler journey, with the goal of driving more overnight stays.
The Situation
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism faced a unique challenge as a world-renowned and iconic destination. They needed to differentiate themselves from Los Angeles and other SoCal beach destinations as well as showcase Santa Monica’s distinctive character earlier in the traveler journey, with the goal of driving more overnight stays.
Three Challenges
- Establish Santa Monica’s brand as original and ownable, distinct from other Southern California beach cities.
- Reimagine the Santa Monica website to incorporate the “Flow Against The Grain” look and messaging
- Help potential travelers understand Santa Monica’s diverse offerings before arrival, encouraging longer stays.
Three Key Metrics:
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+106
%
Personalized Itinerary Clicks
-
+81
%
Display Ad Engagement
-
+1,121
%
Partner Referrals
A Brand That Flows Against the Grain
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism and Noble Studios set out to develop a new, integrated marketing strategy and brand platform that would provide a foundation for a strong and scalable internal culture, deliver a resonant promise and establish a messaging strategy that connects with travelers and creates a distinct position in their mind where Santa Monica stands out from the competition. Together, we created a vibrant and distinctive new brand that is anchored by the line “Flow Against The Grain.”
Click to explore Santa Monica’s Brand Book.
Beach Vibes + Urban Vibrations
To develop the brand, we led workshops with Santa Monica Travel & Tourism staff and stakeholders to hone in on Santa Monica’s unique vibe. We also conducted a robust online survey and people on the street interviews to help us differentiate Santa Monica as a Southern California original. The result? A brand that positions Santa Monica as the world’s premier beach-city destination.
Flow Against The Grain Brand Video
“Flow Against The Grain” conveys a message of creative individuality. Santa Monica goes with the flow, but in its own way. It isn’t just a beach city. It’s a hub of culture, creativity and progressive thinking. It’s easygoing, but moves with purpose, on its own terms. The brand video is a celebration of the destination’s unconventional spirit.
Amplifying Santa Monica With A Digital-First Approach
The campaign execution centered on a digital-first approach, allocating 60% to digital channels, 20% to traditional media and 20% to experimental initiatives. Bold visuals and messaging highlighted Santa Monica’s duality as both a beach paradise and a vibrant city, while paid search and display advertising amplified reach across targeted segments.
A Website That Makes Waves
The teams worked diligently to ensure that the reskinned website and new brand were ready to be unveiled at the upcoming Santa Monica Travel & Tourism Summit. Here are some of the tactics we implemented to accomplish this:
Bold, Bright Design: The new brand introduces bold, bright fonts, colors and new icons. The color palette is infused with the distinctive personality traits of being young-at-heart, original and cosmopolitan, and draws its inspiration from the vibrant and eclectic atmosphere of Santa Monica.
Day and Night Experience: The website also allows the user to explore “Things to Do” based on whether they are looking for day or night activities. By toggling between day and night, the colors and featured activities change, making it easy to plan their Santa Monica trip based on their unique interests.
Aspirational yet Approachable: Santa Monica is a luxury available for all to enjoy. It provides a sense of arrival at the “top,” a place to be nurtured and taken care of. The website reflects this through its photography and the video reel at the top of the home page, giving potential visitors insight into the iconic destination. One of the new additions in the reskin was adding a new hero section that allows for timely announcements without disrupting the site’s visual appeal. The site, content and design also highlight luxury experiences while still maintaining the welcoming spirit that makes Santa Monica unique.
Outcome
Santa Monica’s bold rebrand and strategic media approach made waves in the tourism landscape. The brand successfully launched in May 2024 at the Santa Monica Travel & Tourism Summit and was met with enthusiastic support from stakeholders and industry professionals.
The “Flow Against The Grain” concept resonated with audiences, driving engagement across digital platforms. Initial results suggest a strong return on investment, both in quantitative metrics and qualitative impact. Website engagement rose sharply, with a +106% increase in personalized itinerary clicks, a +1,121% increase in partner referrals and an 81% engagement rate on display ads. The average session time improved by 38%, showing deeper interest in Santa Monica’s offerings.
With the new brand and reimagined website in place, Santa Monica is positioned to become the world’s premier beach-city destination for both residents and visitors alike. It will continue to inspire the world to discover a city filled with beach vibes and urban vibrations.
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+128
%
Events Per Season
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+10
%
Avg. Engagement Time
-
+128
%
Display Ad Sessions
-
+234
%
CTR for Display Campaigns
-
+38
%
Time Per Session
Awards Winner
- 2024 W3 Awards Gold
- 2025 eTourism Awards Summit Excellence Award – Winner
Lets make this year your best yet.
