A Shore Thing: Building the Fogo Island Accommodations Brand

Branding in hospitality is never just about looking good; it’s about creating an experience before someone even sets foot on the property – or properties, as is the case at Fogo Island Accommodations. We wanted to build a brand which captures the warmth and character of both the island and the cottages themselves. This wasn’t about sleek minimalism or luxury at a distance; it was about authenticity, colour, and a sense of welcome that feels distinctly Fogo!

Starting with the Logo

Logos are distillations of entire experiences and a face for your brand. For Fogo Island Accommodations, we created a circular emblem that serves as a window into the island. Within it, the sun rises over rolling hills, a wave curves into the scene, and the sky arcs above. The result is both geographic and symbolic, a reminder of land, sea, and sky, bound together in one image.

The palette plays a huge role here. Blue ties to the Atlantic and trustworthiness. Green anchors the rolling hills and nature. Yellow gives us the warmth of a sunrise and the promise of hospitality. Finally, deep brown brings grounding and readability, while subtly echoing the tones of driftwood and shoreline rock. The colour system isn’t just attractive, it’s functional, ensuring contrast and accessibility across print and digital.

Typography ties it together. “Fogo Island” is set in Aptly, a typeface with personality and weight, while “Accommodations” and the tagline “A Shore Thing” use Novecento Sans Wide. The balance of friendly curves and clean geometry makes the logo approachable while still professional. And that tagline – equal parts clever pun and confident positioning – tells you exactly what to expect: hospitality with an ocean view, guaranteed.

Positioning the Brand

Fogo Island is already known internationally, thanks in large part to the modernist architecture of the Fogo Island Inn. But the Inn and Fogo Island Accommodations are two entirely different experiences. Where the Inn leans on exclusivity and modernist design, Fogo Island Accommodations is all about accessibility and warmth. The cottages are colourful, character-filled, and connected to the rhythms of local life.

Our strategy was to lean into this difference. We didn’t want to compete with the Inn; we wanted to stand apart. That meant embracing colour instead of restraint, circular shapes instead of sharp angles, and a playful tagline instead of a solemn mission statement. In short, we positioned Fogo Island Accommodations as the inviting, approachable side of island hospitality.

Designing the Website

The Fogo Island Accommodations website was built to reflect that same spirit. Working with our development partners at Gavamedia, we created a beautiful, responsive, fully-accessible platform that makes booking simple and intuitive. A custom booking system was developed to integrate seamlessly with the client’s operations, and we paired it with a custom e-commerce solution to allow for growth beyond accommodations.

Accessibility was non-negotiable. With WCAG compliance built in, we ensured proper colour contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility. Given the island’s rural setting, we also designed with performance in mind, optimizing images, streamlining code, and building for slower connections without sacrificing quality.

The visual language of the brand carries through the site. The logo colours guide the design, ensuring consistency and recognizability. Photography captures both the cottages and the island’s natural beauty, with layouts designed to feel clean but never clinical. The result is a website that feels lived-in, like the cottages themselves.

Building Community into the Experience

Hospitality doesn’t end at the front door, especially not on Fogo Island. One of the client’s goals was to spotlight other local businesses, creating a digital ecosystem that celebrates the wider community. We designed a dedicated space for this on the site, making it easy to highlight restaurants, shops, and activities that give visitors a richer experience of the island. Importantly, the system was designed to grow over time. As more businesses open on the island, the site can expand naturally, becoming not just a booking platform but a resource for travellers.

This community emphasis is also a strategic play. It reinforces the brand’s difference from the more self-contained model of the Inn and ties directly into the positioning of Fogo Island Accommodations as part of the local fabric, not apart from it.

Early Impact and Future Growth

The brand and site are still fresh, but early signs are promising. The client has already reported increased bookings and positive feedback from both locals and international travellers. More importantly, the brand gives them room to grow. The e-commerce system allows for potential expansion into merchandise or local goods, while the business listings can become a hub for partnerships across the island.

For global tourists, the brand now signals a welcoming, colourful, and distinctly-Newfoundland experience. For locals and travellers from mainland Newfoundland, it offers an easy, familiar option for weekend trips or family getaways. And for niche uses like weddings or remote work retreats, the cottages are positioned as practical yet scenic alternatives to the ultra-modern.

Reflections on Hospitality Branding

Fogo Island Accommodations needed to feel reliable, but also personal. Inviting, but not generic. Rooted in its place, but appealing to an international audience. The combination of a bright, symbolic logo, clever tagline, carefully chosen typefaces, and a thoughtful digital strategy achieves that balance.

Fogo Island Accommodations represents something different: the joy of staying somewhere that feels both new and familiar while being colourful and grounded. In other words, a shore thing.

Ready to Go Rogue?

Branding isn’t guesswork. It’s data, design, creative problem solving, and clear choices. If you’re ready to stand out, contact us and Go Rogue. We’ll help you find your voice, and make sure it’s heard!