CASE Study: Waldorf Astoria / Luxury & hospitality

Understanding the emerging culture of luxury

scenarioDNA helped Waldorf Astoria understand the emerging archetypes and muses of global luxury to inform brand repositioning. The work brought a cultural perspective to the question of how a luxury hospitality brand should express itself as aspirations evolve.

The question: What will define the next expression of luxury?

Waldorf Astoria sought to understand emerging expressions of global luxury as a foundation for brand repositioning. The central question was cultural: which archetypes and muses could help the brand understand the aspirations shaping its future direction?

The research: Understanding luxury through archetypes and muses

Our work focused on the emerging archetypes and muses of global luxury. This lens places the people and ideals that give luxury meaning at the center of the brand question, creating a way to consider cultural aspiration alongside the hospitality offer.

The application: Informing brand repositioning

The research informed Waldorf Astoria’s brand repositioning by bringing emerging luxury archetypes and muses into the strategic conversation. It connected the question of how the brand should present itself with a broader understanding of the culture it sought to address.

Explore our approach: Culture Mapping · Cultural Research & Intelligence