Santa Monica Had a Branding Problem

Jarrod Lopiccolo is the Co-founder and CEO of Noble Studios, a creative digital performance marketing agency.

“The Santa Monica Travel & Tourism Board had one question: Why does everyone visit us but nobody stays? Together with Noble Studios, we found the answer, and bookings jumped 106%.

Santa Monica had a branding problem. Everyone knew them, but people treated them like a quick LA day trip. Hit the pier, take a photo and leave.

So we dug into what makes Santa Monica different.

Turns out it’s this rare thing, actual beach life mixed with real city culture. Surf shops next to art galleries and Michelin-rated restaurants down from the volleyball courts. Most beach towns pick a lane, but Santa Monica didn’t need to.

We helped launch a rebrand centered on “Flow Against The Grain.” Being yourself and moving with your own rhythm.

We rebuilt the website with a day/night toggle so people could see both versions of the city, added bold colors that matched the actual energy of the place and photography that showed luxury without making it feel out of reach.

Here’s what we saw after launch:

– 106% jump in itinerary clicks
– 81% engagement rate on display ads
– 38% longer time on site
– 1,121% increase in partner referrals

This even won Gold at the W3 Awards and Excellence at the eTourism Summit.
Props to the Santa Monica Travel & Tourism team and our Noble Studios crew who made this happen!”

The full case study is found here: https://noblestudios.com/case-studies/santa-monica-web-redesign