Case Study

Harves

Brand and Product Development

The Strategic Questions
A real estate company with leadership in Beijing and Washington, DC -- with the rights to major sports properties -- needed to craft a point-of-view about a new generation of immersive entertainment offerings it was developing.

  • Could they establish an identity (verbal, visual and philosophical) that paid homage to China but was big enough to be communicated globally?
  • Could they create and effectively communicate compelling new concepts to intellectual property holders, partners, and investors?
H&S Role
H&S worked with company leadership to develop a brand framework and narrative, a global communications strategy, and branded assets. We coordinated with teams in the US and China as well as diverse IP partners to ensure alignment in all executions.
  • Developed brand fundamentals based on the founders’ vision and educated global teams on the resulting brand and its applications
  • Secured URLs, developed a website that showcased the point of view, and translated it for Chinese partners
  • Created and executed a communications strategy across social channels owned by the company, by IP partners, and by China-specific outlets
  • Developed and delivered IP partnerships, concepts and product portfolio as part of senior executive working group
  • Developed investment materials for outside funding opportunities

Immersive Culture

What can be delivered with in-person entertainment is changing radically thanks to new technologies. At the same time, a global pandemic has left the world's consumers hyper-connected but socially isolated. These two things have fueled a deep consumer desire for participation.

As we re-emerge, consumers expect more co-created experiences in themed environments. They want to immerse themselves. Leading brands are looking for ways to provide those kinds of immersive experiences and extend their IP in unique, memorable, and meaningful ways.

Harves Global Entertainment is focused on providing consumers next generation entertainment experiences with well-known global brands in new and emerging markets.

“Harves and its partners are creating a new kind of communal mixed reality experience.”
— Fast Company

Global teams face special challenges aligning communication efforts, particularly with sophisticated IP owners. Even while global consumers share common desires, executions vary by market, IP owners have specific considerations, and unexpected questions arise.

A strong brand articulation and communication process helps a global team create and deliver experiences that are consistent, authentic, and locally customized across markets-- exceeding  partner expectations.

A Flexible Brand System Built for Partner Integration and Global Expansion

H&S created a brand system that was flexible enough for global ambitions, yet structured enough to ensure cohesiveness across partners and geographies. We developed communication plans for in-market opportunities, for global press, for investors, and for new product offerings. We created and translated verbal and visual assets across languages, cultures, countries, and teams to promote projects for  IP partners (with their own instantly recognizable brand standards) without losing the vision of Harves.

As a strategic partner, our work enabled Harves to successfully create and launch new immersive entertainment offerings that resonated in local markets while protecting the global brand equity and assets owned by world-class IP partners like Manchester United and the NBA. We also developed naming and portfolio strategies across properties and products, including the company's proprietary mixed reality technology.

Deep and Enduring Client Partnership

  • Four-year project relationship
  • Long-standing relationship with executive team
  • Lead strategic counsel on brand strategy, partnership communications, and asset development
  • Introduction of key design and technology partners
  • Facilitation of key IP partner agreements