The Ritz-Carlton
As a Senior Designer at Data Axle Agency, I collaborated closely with The Ritz-Carlton on multiple digital campaigns, including the design of their newsletters. Utilizing their extensive asset library, I created dynamic, visually engaging designs that incorporated animations, videos, and bold visuals to reflect the brand’s luxurious essence and captivate their audience.
The Ritz-Carlton’s goal for 2025 was to evolve its identity to connect with younger audiences while maintaining its signature luxury appeal. The brand wanted a bold, modern look that still honored its legacy of timeless sophistication. Leading this rebrand as a Senior Designer at Data Axle Agency, I began by deeply researching The Ritz-Carlton’s history, values, locations, and current design elements to inform a thoughtful, cohesive direction for the brand’s future.
To reflect their evolving identity, I developed three distinct color palettes, each designed to enhance their extensive image library and meet their visual marketing goals. Each palette also featured complementary neutral tones to balance the bold colors and ensure versatility in different layouts. I paid close attention to ensure all palettes aligned seamlessly with The Ritz-Carlton’s image library, meeting the client’s request to avoid distracting from their visual assets.
The Process: Crafting Three Distinct Color Palettes
This palette honored their iconic light blue and gold tones while incorporating subtle, bolder accents of burnt orange/red and navy. This option offered a natural evolution of their traditional colors, striking a balance between familiarity and modernity.
Option 1: Elevated Classic
Option 2: Warm & Sophisticated
Inspired by golden hour imagery—sunsets, evening campfires, and warm twilight tones—I created a luxurious, rich palette featuring warm golds, and elegant earthy tones. A warmer version of their signature blue complemented this approach to elevate the warmth and sophistication of their imagery.
Option 3: Bold & Vibrant
Drawing from vibrant imagery of ocean waters, blue skies, lush greenery, and golden light, this palette emphasized vibrant blues and golds while adding fresh pops of green for a dynamic, contemporary feel. This option pushed the brand towards a more youthful, bold expression of luxury.
To showcase the palettes, I designed three newsletter templates, each fully utilizing one of the palettes. These newsletters featured refreshed hero and secondary treatments to give the client a clear view of how the colors worked across different elements. I also incorporated strategic color-blocking throughout, a design element frequently used by competitors, to create dynamic, high-impact compositions that felt modern yet elegant.
By blending vibrant color options with luxurious design sensibilities, the rebrand reflected The Ritz-Carlton’s desire for a bold, youthful future without losing its timeless sophistication. This comprehensive rebranding effort elevated their digital marketing assets, providing the brand with refreshed templates and versatile palettes that aligned perfectly with their next chapter.
