In the hospitality world, branding is often equated with logos and taglines. But for Matt Ferebee, cofounder/chief creative officer of South Carolina-based agency FerebeeLane, true hotel branding begins with something deeper: listening.
“We’ve built a lot of traction over the last five or 10 years for our work with hotel and resort properties,” said Ferebee. “We come from a branding perspective, but we approach it with a focus on guest experience first. That’s our lens. We can listen—to both the guest and the property—and translate that into a brand story that benefits ownership and operations.”
Ferebee points to the agency’s early work with Blackberry Farm, a resort in Walland, TN, as a turning point. When FerebeeLane began working with Blackberry nearly two decades ago, the property was beloved by a loyal few but difficult to define. “The press couldn’t quite figure out what the property was,” he said. “Was it a B&B? An inn? What we did was help shape a narrative that captured the essence of the experience.”
He added, “We didn’t invent Blackberry’s story. We listened to what the family had built and helped shape the language around it. That clarity is what gave the brand staying power.”
What emerged through collaboration with the Beall family, the owners and operators of the property, was a brand identity rooted in a simple but resonant phrase: a classic American country estate.
“That idea was powerful because it immediately gave people a picture of what to expect—fishing, shooting, farm-to-table meals, strolling through gardens, genteel luxury,” said Ferebee. “It gave the brand a center of gravity.”
That language didn’t just help the outside world understand Blackberry—it also became a guidepost for the property’s evolution. As the resort grew, the story remained a foundation. “When they added a spa, it became the Wellhouse, grounded in the same idea of a countryside estate,” he said. “Everything that came after fit into the narrative.”
The lesson? “The story shouldn’t just be a line in the marketing,” said Ferebee. “It should inform operations, development, service—everything. That’s when it becomes a true brand.”
Ferebee believes every independent or high-end hotel has the potential to find and tell its own story, provided it takes the time to listen to its surroundings, its people and its purpose.
“The most common mistake hoteliers make is ignoring the value of storytelling,” he said. “They might have a beautiful design and a great location, but no depth, no narrative and no emotional hook for guests.”
Equally problematic, he added, is trying to copy someone else’s story. “We’ve seen properties try to replicate what Blackberry did—farm-to-table dining, for instance—without considering if it fits their place or history,” Ferebee said. “If you’re borrowing someone else’s identity, you’ve missed the point.”
His advice: Don’t chase trends. Instead, “prioritize your own context—your history, your location, your culture—and tell that story as honestly and richly as you can,” he said.
Though storytelling may sound poetic, Ferebee insists it must be grounded in business realities. His process begins by asking hotel ownership to articulate its goals—room rates, target audience and future plans. “If you’re aiming for $600 a night vs. $1,200, that changes how we frame the story,” he said. “We’re not creating fiction. We’re aligning storytelling with ambition.”
That alignment, he said, is what separates surface-level branding from sustainable, operationally embedded brand strategy. “The best work happens when the story supports the business model and inspires the team,” he added. “It becomes part of the daily life of the property.”
Finding a story worth telling takes more than a brainstorming session. Ferebee’s team spends significant time on-site, talking to staff, locals and guests, while immersing themselves in the region’s cultural and historical context.
“We treat it almost like cultural anthropology,” he said. “We’ll go to local restaurants, chat with people at bars, dig into archives, talk to travel agents—anything that helps us understand the real texture of a place.”
A recent example is their work on Canoe Place in Hampton Bays, NY. While some outsiders lump it in with the Hamptons, locals know it has its own history and identity. “It was the first place people came when the train line was built; they’d stop there before heading further east,” said Ferebee. “Details like that give you a launching point for a story that’s true to the place.”
Another project that demonstrates the power of storytelling is Grande Lakes Orlando, home to a Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott. Located in a city known for theme parks and family vacations, the challenge was to reposition the resort as a sanctuary for those seeking a quieter, more refined experience.
“Most people associate Orlando with chaos—lines, noise, crowds,” he said. “But this property had a natural elegance to it. We saw an opportunity to contrast that with what people expected.”
The result was “The Grande Life,” a campaign that framed the property as “hidden in the heart of Orlando,” offering Everglades kayaking, Michelin-level dining and serene service.
“We weren’t just pushing a product,” he said. “We were offering guests a completely different kind of Orlando experience.”
The approach worked. Website visits increased by 85% in one year; ADR was 3%
over budget and grew by more than 16% from 2019; and market share for the JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton grew 9% and 4.5%, respectively. For Ferebee, those metrics only underscore a larger point.
“When your story resonates, it doesn’t just bring in more people—it brings in the right people,” he said. “And it creates consistency across the guest experience.”
While storytelling has long been considered the domain of boutique properties, Ferebee notes that even large hospitality brands are catching on.
“We’re seeing companies like Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott placing more emphasis on local culture and contextual authenticity,” he said. “Ten years ago, that kind of work was rare for big flags. Now it’s expected.”
And that, he believes, reflects a broader shift in guest expectations.
“Today’s travelers aren’t looking for comfort through sameness,” Ferebee said. “They’re looking for meaning, connection and something real.”
For hoteliers looking to build a brand that stands out, Ferebee’s advice remains simple and consistent: Listen first.
“Every property has the potential for a great story,” he said. “But you must be willing to dig for it, to live in it and to make it central to everything you do. That’s when your brand becomes more than a message—it becomes a magnet.”
