

Team
Chenxi Wang, Visual Brand Designer
Kanika Sharma, Interior Designer
Megha Damani, Interaction Designer
Philip Anthony, Business Designer
Sakshi Gupta, Interior Designer
ADVISORS
Michele Aquila, Domus Academy
Nima Gazestani, Domus Academy
Client

Collaboration

Brief
Our objective was to increase IHC’s brand awareness and spread the taste of the experience before the actual journey.
Background
IHC has properties of hotels, resorts and spas; three in Tuscany and one in Sardinia. As a brand, it is recognised as a luxury center for well being luxury within Italy.
SOLUTION
As a multidisciplinary team of Business, Visual, Interior and Interaction designers, we provided IHC with a multi-strategy solution that would attract new customers through an interactive experience of IHC's Grotta Giusti's Grotto and spa. And on the other hand, providing the recurring guests with a souvenir experience that can change how they share their 'Italian experience' with their friends and family. This strategy will help IHC grow their customer base not just through word of mouth, but with gifts waiting for their new customers; "A friend's gift awaits you at IHC!"
MY ROLE:
User Experience Design,
Installation Ideations, physical prototyping with creative coding,
Digital transformation ideas, wireframes & website+app design.
Research
KEY FINDINGS
FOCUSING ON IHC’S PROPERTY, GROTTA GIUSTI
Grotta Giusti is wellness oriented which millennial are drawn towards.
Only 4% of total visitors at Grotta are from rest of Europe
Italy is in the top 5 spa market globally.
Collaborating with another company is the best way to reach the target audience.
INSIGHTS
OUR APPROACH TOWARDS THE SOLUTION
Our research insights showed that millennial’s desires for ‘micro-adventures‘ takes over traditional tourism.
Reaching our target audience with a passionate group of ambassadors could connect with the large youth audience.
Creating a buzz with interactive installations in Berlin, Paris & other cities, draws wider audience.
Our Business Designer, Philip Anthony, conducted an in-depth market research. On-request we can share the document with you.
Process
INTERVIEWS
We interviewed people (age 26 – 38) of different nationalities to understand: desired experiences, budget for luxury travel, frequency of travel to another country, experiences that attract, mode of attractive information, etc.
USER INSIGHTS & EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
After the interviews, We documented their feedback and created “a-day maps” to identify the moments of opportunities that could trigger young millennials to explore and/or discover new travel destinations.
PERSONA BUILDING
Based on our qualitative and quantitative research analysis, we created three persona’s of different millennial characteristics .
JOURNEY
We wanted to understand the services that our persona’s were interacting with. One experience map is basically a visual representation that illustrates the customers flow from discovery to real experience with IHC and what they do during and after their travel.
We created 2 simple journey diagram and then designed the journey of only the recurring persona knowing that their influence on their immediate circle would create a new market as well as a branched word-of-mouth flow if they received something from their journey or shared it with their community.

Concept
INTERMISSION
Intermission was a concept generated from the idea of showcasing IHC's Grotta Giusti property's unique grotta and micro interactions which were the highlight of our interviews.
Based on the concept of Wellness, intermission is an interactive installation and multi-sensory “Pit Stop” experience of the cave and relaxation it provides in IHC Gortta Giusti, in collaboration with Lululemon.
The main objective remains, to increase brand awareness with target consumer and increase effective sales traffic on IHC’s website.
Further, We also strategised to improve the customer’s experience during the stay and enhance the after-stay experience and increase visitors based on their well-wisher’s recommendations.
Intermission
EXPERIENCE BEFORE THE JOURNEY
Stage 1 INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION & CITY INSTALLATIONS

MAIN EVENT
Bringing a flavour of the real Grotta Giusti, Our strategy was to launch a multi-day event, first day for VIPs, Brand Ambassadors, and the Press. Remaining days for the public. The additional objective was to communicate collaboration on wellness and generate positive mentions on social media channels.
Large “meditation tree” installation to showcase IHC focus on wellness with an abstract “grotto” interior and sound domes above spa chairs that will create an intermission between your daily routine and the serenity of the tuscan region.


Using the sound domes, one feels isolated in the space with the various natural grotto sounds, to relax and re-energise from everyday’s hustle-bustle


Using the sound domes, one feels isolated in the space with the various natural grotto sounds, to relax and re-energise from everyday’s hustle-bustle

City Installations
To showcase the IHC luxury wellness offers experientially and provide information about the brand across multiple locations.
The locations where the target consumer segment naturally congregate. Experience enhanced with video showcasing IHC’s micro-adventures and the Italian taste.
1) Mini ‘Meditation trees’ in different cities around EU
2) Connecting with “IHC Meditation Wifi“ which leads to the booking and offers page.
Mini tree Installations in various other cities to spread awareness and build curiosity about IHC resorts.

Close proximity Wifi enabled installations that lead to the website


EXPERIENCE DURING THE JOURNEY
Stage 2 NEW SERVICE, PRODUCT & GIFTS WEBSITE

We reviewed IHC’s Grotta Giusti’s bookings for packages and gifts and conducted a quick user test with our fellow colleagues and realised that even though it was a functional site, the details weren’t enough to sell the package and retention rate was compromised due to the experience of the website.
Hence as a part of our strategy, we decided to redesign Grotta Giusti’s website experience, enhancing the before and during experiences of the journey.





EXPERIENCE AFTER THE JOURNEY
Stage 2 PERSONALISING AR POSTCARD
Apart from improving the service and products website, we also targeted the recurring customer’s friends and family circle by providing a new experience with AR postcards that allowed them to share their experience with pictures and videos of their trip and offer a gift that would be awaiting their friends and family at IHC.
CONCEPT PROTOTYPE
Quick Prototyping of the sound dome

