September 30, 2019
Teluk Datai, Malaysia
Of Rare Nature
Brand development of Malaysia’s first eco-sustainable luxury hospitality and tourism destination.
Set on the shores of the Datai and within the untouched 150-million-year-old rainforests of Langkawi – and featuring a selection of luxury eco-resorts, spas, outdoor leisure, trekking, diving, golf, and a limited edition set of uber-luxury private serviced eco-villas – Teluk Datai will quickly become the benchmark for large scale sustainable luxury tourism in Malaysia.
Ninth Space was approached by Destination Resorts and Hotels to capture the spirit of Datai within a destination brand that will be marketed across the globe.
Teluk Datai is a place of many myths and stories that are weaved into the fabric of the forest and its people. These stories extend from the sea and its shores to the forest and its mountains, including myths of the sea’s life and the forest’s trees and animals, as well as the people living amongst them. These all come together in a timeless tapestry that conjures fantastic images of wonder and awe.
Market insights
Research
Brand strategy
Brand story
Brand identity
Brand language
Brand communication
Brand guidelines
Brand story as an underlying mantra for the master plan development
We believed that these traditional stories needed to be fused within the master planning of the destination. So, we proposed to the client that the entire bay have hidden resorts, spas, and villas skilfully embedded into the forest and shores to feel like a natural part of the ecosystem. In doing so we could weave new textures and new chapters in Teluk Datai’s rich storyline. These rare and exotic narratives became the foundations for the brand.
The outcome of our work was a distinctive and ownable brand story of a place of rare qualities, a place that was surprising, exotic, essential, and at one with nature built over 150 million years.
This story came to life across the destination as an underlying mantra for the master plan concept, the experiences that would populate the destination, and the way guests, visitors, and residents would engage with the place both in terms of the natural environment and the local culture.
The brand language embodied this story in its core graphic style, its tone of voice, and its inclusion of co-brand alignment harmonised across all communication touch points. This system enabled our client to provide a holistic representation across all destination experiences, components, and products, while also allowing for individual expression and targeted campaigns.
