Integrated Marketing
for Hospitality Groups
From 0 to 38,124 Followers and 56 Media Features: How Integrated Marketing Transformed The Creamery District.
Integrated Marketing
for Hospitality Groups
From 0 to 38,124 Followers and 56 Media Features: How Integrated Marketing Transformed The Creamery District.
At Embark Marketing, we specialize in being a fractional marketing team for hospitality groups that blends digital strategy, public relations, social media, and influencer marketing. Our work with Only One Hospitality Group for their concept, The Creamery District, a mixed-use hospitality hub in San Antonio, showcases how a unified yet flexible approach can position an emerging multi-restaurant venue as a premier destination near the San Antonio River Walk.
The Creamery District features a total of seven concepts, including Crème Coffee & Social, Amelia Social Lounge, Easy Baby Underground, Lunatique Rooftop Bar, and Tribute Sports Bar, amongst others. Each of the emerging concepts required its own voice, branding, and audience engagement strategy while also being tied together under one overarching identity.
Building a Unified Website Strategy
for a Hospitality Group
The Digital Foundation: Website Strategy & Development
When approaching marketing for hospitality groups, a website is one of the most important tools for credibility, storytelling, and customer engagement. The foundation of our integrated marketing strategy began with building a series of websites for the hospitality group. For The Creamery District, the challenge was to create not just one site, but an ecosystem of websites, one for the district itself and one for each brand under the hospitality group’s umbrella.
Utilizing this strategy, we were able to develop a unique brand identity for each concept as well as an overarching awareness of the new mixed use development space, to which the client wanted to ultimately become its own entity where events such as farmers markets and live music would take place.
Building a Unified Website
Strategy for a Hospitality Group
The Digital Foundation:
Website Strategy & Development
When approaching marketing for hospitality groups, a website is one of the most important tools for credibility, storytelling, and customer engagement. The foundation of our integrated marketing strategy began with building a series of websites for the hospitality group. For The Creamery District, the challenge was to create not just one site, but an ecosystem of websites, one for the district itself and one for each brand under the hospitality group’s umbrella.
Utilizing this strategy, we were able to develop a unique brand identity for each concept as well as an overarching awareness of the new mixed use development space, to which the client wanted to ultimately become its own entity where events such as farmers markets and live music would take place.
Meeting the Challenge: Time, Budget, and Cohesion
As each venue prepared for its grand opening, websites needed to be launched on time, on budget, and with a cohesive design that still allowed each brand to tell its own story. Beyond simply being functional, these websites had to serve as professional digital storefronts that could support social media, public relations, influencer campaigns, and customer discovery.
As the public becomes aware of a new brand, it is extremely important to capitalize on the publicity by having a place to direct curious patrons to, even if it is just basic information or a tease about what’s to come. Not only does this give people at least some info about the brand, but the site itself is receiving traffic, building a reputation for the brand’s domain on a technical level, a valuable asset that is often overlooked in the beginning stages of concept development and planning.
A successful hospitality group launch is not just about building beautiful brands, but about aligning vision, resources, and timing. With the right strategy, even a limited budget and tight deadlines can lay the groundwork for long-term success.
The Solution: Squarespace for Speed and Accessibility
Embark Marketing selected Squarespace to meet the district’s needs. This decision allowed us to launch multiple functional websites quickly in time for each brand’s grand opening while still maintaining a unique brand identity for each concept. This choice provided:
- Fast deployment to align with grand opening timelines.
- A budget-friendly solution that allowed more marketing budget resources to be allocated toward PR and social media.
- Easy backend tools for venue managers to update menus, hours, and events.
- Cohesive branding across all sites while preserving each venue’s unique identity.
- A Framework for Future Growth
Though Squarespace sites don’t migrate directly into a more robust CMS such as WordPress, our approach created a conceptual framework for future scalability that aligned with the budget constraints of the project.
The Creamery District’s web presence can later evolve into a more extensive WordPress ecosystem, should advanced customization and SEO capabilities become a priority for the client in the future.
Meeting the Challenge:
Time, Budget, and Cohesion
As each venue prepared for its grand opening, websites needed to be launched on time, on budget, and with a cohesive design that still allowed each brand to tell its own story. Beyond simply being functional, these websites had to serve as professional digital storefronts that could support social media, public relations, influencer campaigns, and customer discovery.
As the public becomes aware of a new brand, it is extremely important to capitalize on the publicity by having a place to direct curious patrons to, even if it is just basic information or a tease about what’s to come. Not only does this give people at least some info about the brand, but the site itself is receiving traffic, building a reputation for the brand’s domain on a technical level, a valuable asset that is often overlooked in the beginning stages of concept development and planning.
A successful hospitality group launch is not just about building beautiful brands, but about aligning vision, resources, and timing. With the right strategy, even a limited budget and tight deadlines can lay the groundwork for long-term success.
The Solution: Squarespace for Speed and Accessibility
Embark Marketing selected Squarespace to meet the district’s needs. This decision allowed us to launch multiple functional websites quickly in time for each brand’s grand opening while still maintaining a unique brand identity for each concept. This choice provided:
- Fast deployment to align with grand opening timelines.
- A budget-friendly solution that allowed more marketing budget resources to be allocated toward PR and social media.
- Easy backend tools for venue managers to update menus, hours, and events.
- Cohesive branding across all sites while preserving each venue’s unique identity.
- A Framework for Future Growth
Though Squarespace sites don’t migrate directly into a more robust CMS such as WordPress, our approach created a conceptual framework for future scalability that aligned with the budget constraints of the project.
The Creamery District’s web presence can later evolve into a more extensive WordPress ecosystem, should advanced customization and SEO capabilities become a priority for the client in the future.
Multi-Site Digital Strategy for Hospitality Groups:
One Unified Brand + Four Distinct Concepts
Each website was strategically designed to communicate the unique personality of its respective brand while still tying back to The Creamery District as a whole. For example, Amelia Social Lounge required a polished and sophisticated aesthetic, while Easy Baby Underground needed a moody and mysterious vibe to match its speakeasy theme.
By building a unified yet flexible system of websites, we gave The Creamery District a digital infrastructure that set the stage for introducing the concept as well as the ability for long-term growth.
Multi-Site Digital Strategy
for Hospitality Groups:
One Unified Brand +
Four Distinct Concepts
Each website was strategically designed to communicate the unique personality of its respective brand while still tying back to The Creamery District as a whole. For example, Amelia Social Lounge required a polished and sophisticated aesthetic, while Easy Baby Underground needed a moody and mysterious vibe to match its speakeasy theme.
By building a unified yet flexible system of websites, we gave The Creamery District a digital infrastructure that set the stage for introducing the concept as well as the ability for long-term growth.
Public Relations: Establishing Credibility and Awareness
PR Campaigns that Elevated The Creamery District
Beyond the websites, public relations played a crucial role in elevating The Creamery District and its brands within the competitive San Antonio hospitality market. Our PR strategy was designed to secure widespread media coverage and position the hospitality group as a new destination for locals and tourists alike. Additionally, the outreach provided crucial backlinking opportunities for the new sites, elevating their local awareness and SEO credibility.
With the websites live, we launched PR campaigns to introduce The Creamery District to San Antonio and beyond. Through carefully tailored press releases and strategic outreach, The Creamery District received coverage in high-profile outlets such as MySA, CultureMap San Antonio, and the San Antonio Current.
Key Achievements:
- 56 online articles, with an estimated 515,860 views.
- $146,435 in earned media value.
- Coverage from top local outlets like San Antonio Express-News, Axios, and San Antonio Magazine.
By staggering openings and tying each brand into a larger hospitality narrative, we kept media interest high and delivered consistent coverage that positioned the district as a destination to a wide demographic of local consumers.
Video & Broadcast Media: Amplifying the Message
To complement print and digital coverage, we secured broadcast features on local TV stations and morning shows to reinforce online efforts. Aimed at a different demographic, these appearances served to bridge the gap between digital content users and traditional television viewers, which tend to skew to a more mature audience.
Highlights:
- $21,950 in earned media value from televised coverage.
- Appearances on local stations KSAT and the San Antonio Living morning show.
- Spotlighted key events like Crème Coffee’s “Latte Art Throwdown” and each new concept’s debut.
This blend of digital and traditional media amplified reach and reinforced credibility among local audiences in a wide range of demographics that would appeal to the multiple concepts united under The Creamery District.
Public Relations: Establishing Credibility and Awareness
PR Campaigns that Elevated
The Creamery District
Beyond the websites, public relations played a crucial role in elevating The Creamery District and its brands within the competitive San Antonio hospitality market. Our PR strategy was designed to secure widespread media coverage and position the hospitality group as a new destination for locals and tourists alike. Additionally, the outreach provided crucial backlinking opportunities for the new sites, elevating their local awareness and SEO credibility.
With the websites live, we launched PR campaigns to introduce The Creamery District to San Antonio and beyond. Through carefully tailored press releases and strategic outreach, The Creamery District received coverage in high-profile outlets such as MySA, CultureMap San Antonio, and the San Antonio Current.
Key Achievements:
- 56 online articles, with an estimated 515,860 views.
- $146,435 in earned media value.
- Coverage from top local outlets like San Antonio Express-News, Axios, and San Antonio Magazine.
By staggering openings and tying each brand into a larger hospitality narrative, we kept media interest high and delivered consistent coverage that positioned the district as a destination to a wide demographic of local consumers.
Video & Broadcast Media: Amplifying the Message
To complement print and digital coverage, we secured broadcast features on local TV stations and morning shows to reinforce online efforts. Aimed at a different demographic, these appearances served to bridge the gap between digital content users and traditional television viewers, which tend to skew to a more mature audience.
Highlights:
- $21,950 in earned media value from televised coverage.
- Appearances on local stations KSAT and the San Antonio Living morning show.
- Spotlighted key events like Crème Coffee’s “Latte Art Throwdown” and each new concept’s debut.
This blend of digital and traditional media amplified reach and reinforced credibility among local audiences in a wide range of demographics that would appeal to the multiple concepts united under The Creamery District.
Social Media Marketing for Hospitality Groups
Social Media & Influencer Campaigns: Driving Engagement for Multiple Restaurant and Bar Concepts
Social media was equally important in building awareness and fostering community engagement for The Creamery District. Each brand’s social media account was launched from scratch, and in less than a year, our team grew each account to a healthy following of 5,000 to 13,000. Additionally, this exposure resulted in hundreds of hits to each brand’s website, further amplifying organic growth in SERP (Search Engine Result Pages) rankings.
Instagram Growth:
- Combined following of 38,124 across all brands.
- Crème Coffee & Social gained 10,500 followers, establishing itself as a chic coffee destination
- Amelia Social Lounge reached 12,800 followers and captured attention as a premier nightlife venue
- Easy Baby Underground grew to 7,320 followers, fueling demand for its intimate speakeasy experience
- Lunatique Rooftop Bar amassed 4,818 followers with its trendy rooftop vibe.
- Over 576 user-tagged posts across all of the hospitality group’s brands, creating organic buzz and solidifying The Creamery District as a must visit venue next to the San Antonio River Walk.
Driving Engagement with Influencer Marketing and Events
Influencer campaigns provided early momentum. Each brand launch featured activations designed to spark user-generated content, build word-of-mouth, and reach hyper-local audiences among local foodies. Our integrated approach also extended to community-focused events, which helped generate buzz and drive foot traffic. From latte art competitions at Crème Coffee & Social to celebrating the launch of each brand with giveaways and discounts, these activations gave media, influencers, and the community reasons to engage with The Creamery District online and, most importantly, in person.
By weaving events into our larger PR and social media strategies, we created multiple touchpoints for customers to connect with the hospitality group. These events not only increased immediate awareness but also built long-term brand equity for the district as a whole.
Great hospitality is about creating memorable experiences, and social media allows you to extend that experience beyond your four walls. When your content reflects the energy, personality, and story of your brand, it builds authentic connections that bring guests back again and again.
Social Media Marketing for Hospitality Groups
Social Media & Influencer Campaigns: Driving Engagement for Multiple Restaurant and Bar Concepts
Social media was equally important in building awareness and fostering community engagement for The Creamery District. Each brand’s social media account was launched from scratch, and in less than a year, our team grew each account to a healthy following of 5,000 to 13,000. Additionally, this exposure resulted in hundreds of hits to each brand’s website, further amplifying organic growth in SERP (Search Engine Result Pages) rankings.
Instagram Growth:
- Combined following of 38,124 across all brands.
- Crème Coffee & Social gained 10,500 followers, establishing itself as a chic coffee destination
- Amelia Social Lounge reached 12,800 followers and captured attention as a premier nightlife venue
- Easy Baby Underground grew to 7,320 followers, fueling demand for its intimate speakeasy experience
- Lunatique Rooftop Bar amassed 4,818 followers with its trendy rooftop vibe.
- Over 576 user-tagged posts across all of the hospitality group’s brands, creating organic buzz and solidifying The Creamery District as a must visit venue next to the San Antonio River Walk.
Influencer campaigns provided early momentum. Each brand launch featured activations designed to spark user-generated content, build word-of-mouth, and reach hyper-local audiences among local foodies. Our integrated approach also extended to community-focused events, which helped generate buzz and drive foot traffic. From latte art competitions at Crème Coffee & Social to celebrating the launch of each brand with giveaways and discounts, these activations gave media, influencers, and the community reasons to engage with The Creamery District online and, most importantly, in person.
By weaving events into our larger PR and social media strategies, we created multiple touchpoints for customers to connect with the hospitality group. These events not only increased immediate awareness but also built long-term brand equity for the district as a whole.
Great hospitality is about creating memorable experiences, and social media allows you to extend that experience beyond your four walls. When your content reflects the energy, personality, and story of your brand, it builds authentic connections that bring guests back again and again.
The Results of an
Integrated Marketing Approach
for Hospitality Groups
How Our Efforts Introduced The Creamery District To Texas
The combination of website development, PR, social media, and influencer marketing created a seamless, multi-channel approach that amplified The Creamery District’s visibility. By starting with a good digital foundation of a web presence and establishing individual brand identities while maintaining a strong umbrella presence for the hospitality group, Embark Marketing set The Creamery District up for long-term success. The decision to use Squarespace offered a budget-conscious solution that delivered immediate results and laid the groundwork for future growth, in addition to providing a launching point for all other marketing efforts.
Simultaneously, our PR efforts built credibility both in the public conscience & from an SEO standpoint. While our social media strategies fostered engagement, and our influencer & media partnerships extended reach into key local audiences that would become the regulars for the district.
From Launch to Destination:
The Creamery District’s Marketing Success Story
The success of The Creamery District demonstrates how an integrated marketing approach for hospitality groups creates lasting impact. By first establishing a strong digital foundation through websites, and then layering on PR, social media, influencer activations, and broadcast outreach, Embark Marketing positioned The Creamery District as one of San Antonio’s premier destinations.
The results demonstrate the power of marketing for hospitality groups when executed with a holistic and strategic approach, planning, and a solid platform to house the brand. The Creamery District now stands as a successful model of how hospitality brands can thrive when united under a thoughtful digital presence while still allowing each concept to shine individually. The approach amplifies efforts tenfold, with awareness increasing for both the district as a destination itself and each restaurant as its own entity.
For hospitality groups, the lesson is clear: your website is the anchor, but its power is maximized when every channel works together to amplify your brand story.
The Results of an
Integrated Marketing Approach
for Hospitality Groups
How Our Efforts Introduced The Creamery District To Texas
The combination of website development, PR, social media, and influencer marketing created a seamless, multi-channel approach that amplified The Creamery District’s visibility. By starting with a good digital foundation of a web presence and establishing individual brand identities while maintaining a strong umbrella presence for the hospitality group, Embark Marketing set The Creamery District up for long-term success. The decision to use Squarespace offered a budget-conscious solution that delivered immediate results and laid the groundwork for future growth, in addition to providing a launching point for all other marketing efforts.
Simultaneously, our PR efforts built credibility both in the public conscience & from an SEO standpoint. While our social media strategies fostered engagement, and our influencer & media partnerships extended reach into key local audiences that would become the regulars for the district.
From Launch to Destination:
The Creamery District’s Marketing Success Story
The success of The Creamery District demonstrates how an integrated marketing approach for hospitality groups creates lasting impact. By first establishing a strong digital foundation through websites, and then layering on PR, social media, influencer activations, and broadcast outreach, Embark Marketing positioned The Creamery District as one of San Antonio’s premier destinations.
The results demonstrate the power of marketing for hospitality groups when executed with a holistic and strategic approach, planning, and a solid platform to house the brand. The Creamery District now stands as a successful model of how hospitality brands can thrive when united under a thoughtful digital presence while still allowing each concept to shine individually. The approach amplifies efforts tenfold, with awareness increasing for both the district as a destination itself and each restaurant as its own entity.
For hospitality groups, the lesson is clear: your website is the anchor, but its power is maximized when every channel works together to amplify your brand story.
Partner with Embark Marketing
for Hospitality Marketing Success
“For the Industry, By the Industry” isn’t just a tagline; it’s the result of countless late hours in the kitchen, behind the bar, and in the walk-in. Our team is made up of former restaurant managers, servers, bartenders, & hosts who have all yelled “heard” at some point in their life & we understand the ins and outs of the industry.
If you are part of a hospitality group looking to expand your marketing efforts, Embark Marketing can help. With over 15 years of experience in public relations, social media, and website development exclusively for restaurants and bars, we specialize in delivering results that grow your brand and set you apart in competitive markets while understanding the unique challenges that come with running a business in the hospitality industry. Contact us today for a complimentary assessment of your new or existing restaurant group concept.
