Shoot My Travel — Ericka Garcia

PROJECT BACKGROUND:
Shoot My Travel (SMT) is a global photography marketplace that connects travelers with on-demand professional photographers in 500+ destinations in over 105 locations worldwide.

PROJECT OBJECTIVE:
Develop a framework to translate SMT's values and unique offerings into future-forward business strategies for category disruption by deeply interrogating cultural and social contexts.

We aim to diversify the brand to include other, and eventually all, types of photography-related services while still offering a unique experience that future-proofs the SMT brand and reduces its dependency on the travel industry.

MY ROLE: Brand Strategist, Brand Coach, Workshop Facilitator and Copywriter.

PROJECT CHALLENGE:
Today humanity is facing a global challenge (COVID-19), a period of social distancing when emotional connections will last a lifetime. As a result of this pandemic, the travel industry has hit an all-time low, most people have postponed or canceled upcoming trips.

PROJECT OPPORTUNITY:
The ways we connect and the spaces in which we gather have changed rapidly, perhaps permanently. During this time of uncertainty, the brands that offer continuity, connection, and calm are the ones that stand out. Brands have an incredible opportunity to help us maintain vital connections—to ourselves, each other, and the world around us.

Phase 1

Discovery & Exploration

Branding 101 | Arena Audit & Trend Forecasting | Customer Journey Analysis

We had the opportunity to work with the whole SMT Team; everyone from their CEO to their copywriters and customer service representatives was involved in a series of in-person and virtual workshops.

Phase 2

Insights & Implications

Audience Definition | Character Definition | Positioning

Research included 3 focus groups, 3 customer journeys, 100+ websites, 30+ brand analyses and 2 academic resources.

Regardless of their differences, we uncovered that these audience segments have common motivators - and they are all willing to make a substantial investment in their relationships, families, businesses or themselves through the SMT brand.

We named this group of personas… Dreamers.