Park Hyatt Chicago
SCOPE OF WORK:
Experience Concept Strategy
Partnership Strategy
PR Strategy + Execution
Influencer Strategy
Activation Guideline
Experience Identity
Asset Design + Execution
The Brief:
Park Hyatt Chicago approached Very Polite to create an activation that would elevate weekend leisure demand, spark meaningful media attention, and reflect the hotel’s refined identity without adding operational strain. The timing was significant as the flagship Park Hyatt location was entering its 45th anniversary year — an ideal moment to honour its heritage while reintroducing its modern point of view.
The Approach:
From the outset, it was clear that the opportunity wasn’t simply to design an event, but to articulate what makes Park Hyatt Chicago distinct. The anniversary gave the hotel an opportunity to speak about its past and future in the same breath, and to share a perspective that competitors could not claim.
During our discovery session, one theme consistently surfaced: the people who have shaped the hotel from within. Many team members have been part of the Park Hyatt Chicago family for decades, and their stories of simple, genuine gestures, revealed a deeper truth about the property. Beneath the polished luxury is a warm, grounded culture shaped by long-standing relationships and a midwestern authenticity.
Alongside these conversations, we conducted a competitive and media analysis. While the hotel received strong coverage when unveiling new initiatives, it appeared less frequently in ongoing lifestyle and travel narratives. The gap was not in quality, but in storytelling. Park Hyatt Chicago has a rich history, but it wasn’t being leveraged in a way that sustained attention.
This led us to a strategic concept that anchored the entire project: Rooted in Chicago. The idea captured the hotel’s origin story as the first location for the brand, the founder’s own connection to the city, and the cultural forces that shaped the brand’s sensibility from the beginning. It gave us a lens through which the anniversary year could become a narrative foundation.
With the Big Idea in place, we explored ways to translate Chicago’s character into an elevated and brand-aligned experience. The breakthrough came from research on Printer’s Row, a historic neighbourhood once known as a major publishing capital in North America. Its legacy offered a rich visual and conceptual world rooted in culture, craft, and design.
From this, we developed Champagne Row, an exclusive, champagne-focused hospitality experience set within the hotel’s Library. The concept reinterprets Chicago’s printing heritage through a contemporary lens, transforming the Library into a refined cultural moment that feels both unexpected and entirely fitting for the property. It creates a sense of discovery for guests and gives locals a reason to engage with the hotel in a new way, all while remaining operationally streamlined.
The Outcome:
Once the concept was established, we designed the full experience — from the visual identity to the smallest tactile details. The newspaper-inspired menu, the custom-built champagne bar, and the linotype coasters all subtlety referenced the printed arts. A partnership with a local independent bookstore brought authenticity to the Library, allowing guests to browse or purchase books curated specifically for the activation. Each element supported the overarching narrative, creating a cohesive environment that felt elevated and rooted in the hotel’s sense of place.
Our communications strategy positioned Park Hyatt Chicago as the legacy expression of the Park Hyatt brand, using the anniversary year to reintroduce the hotel’s heritage and define its role within Chicago’s cultural landscape. Media and influencer outreach focused on the substance of the story: the experience, the history, and the thoughtful offering behind Champagne Row. This approach allowed the activation to stand apart from trend-driven hospitality moments and establish a broader, more meaningful narrative.
Since launching on November 19th, Champagne Row has attracted guests, locals, influencers, and media, sparking renewed interest in the property and creating momentum for the brand’s influence and legacy-driven storytelling.
Champagne Row reflects a belief we hold across all our work, that when strategy and story are aligned, experiences become expressions of the brand’s deeper purpose and identity.
