Design Group Carl Ross has rebranded itself as Clear on Black, a firm specializing in upscale and luxury hotel design.
“We reached out to clients, past and present, for feedback,” says Carl Ross, principal of the El Segundo, California-based design firm. The firm had roundtables with its team, worked with business consultants to see what they could do to improve. “It was brutal, lengthy, and finally fun once we got past some of the unknowns,” says Ross. “The truth is, we had evolved but weren’t recognizing or communicating it. It was time.”
The new brand image was conceived to reflect the company’s new direction. Aiming for client transparency, the firm’s revamped website now includes a detailed summary of its creative process.
“We have proven that we can move more quickly and efficiently when everything is out in the open,” continues Ross. “We have worked that way with our employees and clients for more than 20 years and now want to take it even further—by publishing information we think they’d want to know. By putting a stake in the ground to say exactly who we are, what we do best, and the process we believe is necessary to do it, we believe we save everyone’s valuable time by better communicating how we bring our unique lens to unlock the hidden potential in our clients’ properties.”
In addition to developers and owners of branded or non-branded properties, Clear on Black’s clients include Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt, Loews Hotels, Marriott International, MGM, and Renaissance Hotels.
