Creating a nostalgic brand that adds to the cultural fabric of Leith

LSC-001: Leith Social Club Branding

  • Secured initial private investment via pre-launch pitch decks designed

    Conceptualised with design and production in a five week sprint from idea to launch

    Featured in The Scotsman, Business Traveller, InsiderUK and Edinburgh Live

    Gathered an initial 7k+ following and online buzz through Social Media

  • Art Direction, logo design, brand design, signage, website design & build, social media assets and printed collateral

  • Client & Collaborator:
    The Hautelier

    Interior photography:
    Jodie Mann

    Art Direction, Brand Design & Creative:
    Asa Rodger (Page)

Billboard advertisement for House of Gods hotel pre-launch campaign creative. The logo on the billboard reads 'House of Gods' and the campaign line reads 'If you know, you know'. 
Pre-launch campaigning // Credit: photography Jodie Mann
Building the brand happened in tandem with the interiors
A Brother sewing machine with a bright adjustable lamp attached, set in a workspace of the House of Gods hotel building site, while developing the brand in tandem with the interiors direction. Designed by Asa Rodger at Page®.
Pantone 490 C colour swatch, a deep claret red, pinot noir shade.
Gucci wallpaper for House of Gods hotel, showing the interiors as a work in progress.
The House of Gods isolated 'H' symbol mark. Designed by Asa Rodger at Page®.
Claret red velvet for House of Gods hotel, by Dedar Milano, showing how the brand evolved in tandem with the interiors work.
Close-up of a red textured paper, Colorplan Claret by GF Smith, used for the House of Gods brand. Designed by Asa Rodger at Page®.
Pantone 710 C colour swatch, a reddish-pink colour. Designed by Asa Rodger at Page®.

The story

Have you ever heard of a ‘start-up’ hotel? No, I hadn’t either. The whole business from Mike & Ross Baxter was grossly ambitious. “Who needs another hotel named after a rich guy’s wife?” ...these were the kind of quips Mike rhetorically asked while talking through the concept. Everyone waxes lyrical about bravery in branding and being a disruptive challenger, but House of Gods genuinely do it – from postering Edinburgh’s cobbled Cowgate, panelling the bar with neon-lit Gucci ‘Heron’ wallpaper, painting a Rolls Royce their claret red, or creating a cocktail book around infamous stories of hotel hedonism – not much is off limits.

As a building site flourished into the oak-panelled, velvet-clad hotel, the overall proposition matured, with the company aiming to ‘democratise luxury’. This tone and creative direction is what trickled down through every part of the brand.

Over the course of two years, the work with the owners included brand design, art direction, design and photography to help bring the lofty hotel vision to life while creating a universal brand system. Aside from helping bring the vision to reality, and secure funding, the work then went on to not only be nominated but win the Scottish Design Awards for the Best Brand Design category, while stacked up against some of the country’s best agencies.

“The design skills are clear to see – what’s unseen, is Asa’s ability to understand & contribute to a client’s vision, creating a beautiful & commercial design”

– Mike Baxter, Owner @ House of Gods

Thank you.

A massive thank you goes out to Mike & Ross – for the vision, care and having me along for the ride as part of this incredible, courageous project.