The branding of exceptional brands and places by Nina Dufrène

FOR BRANDS THAT HAVE A STORY TO TELL

At WeArePrelude, we work with exceptional brands and places across the full spectrum of their identity, from strategic positioning to content creation, from art direction to experience design. Nina Dufrène, co-founder and creative director, leads this work for our clients.

Every client we take on has a strong asset: an exceptional location, a history, a craft. What they most often lack is a narrative that lives and breathes at every touchpoint. A château whose image doesn't reflect the quality of its offering. A wine estate with no real oenotourism experience. A corporate package that looks like every other one. Our role is to pull our clients out of their comfort zones, to reveal their potential, and more importantly, to deploy it: in strategy, in content, in experience.

I trained as an architect and have spent years working in communication and marketing. I'm aware that very few profiles bring both together. I use that double culture to connect places and brands in a creative way — playing with volumes, materials, atmospheres, and identifying what's singular and worth telling. Nina Dufrène, Creative Director

MAKING A DIFFERENCE STARTS WITH A STORY

Singularity often hides in a detail: an object, an archive, a family anecdote or conversely, in a transformative vision that no one has clearly articulated yet. Our job is to go and find it, then give it shape: as a positioning, a narrative, a visual identity, a scenography, a piece of merchandise. Because storytelling, as we understand it, isn't just about words. It's everything that gives a brand life.

Even if they don't know it yet, every brand and place we work with has a genuine singularity. What they most often lack is the ability to identify it and then to express it through the right positioning on the right platforms. That's precisely what we build with them.

BRAND EXPERIENCE, MOMENTS THAT MATTER

Consumer expectations have shifted. People are no longer looking for a product, they're looking for a unique, authentic experience they won't find anywhere else. Designing that kind of experience requires deep knowledge of our clients, the expertise of our partners, and a sharp reading of visitor expectations and emerging trends.

The goal is to identify the moment that will create an emotion, the one that will turn a first-time visitor into a lifelong ambassador. Because at WeArePrelude, experiences are the natural extension of an identity. A bespoke journey, an immersive scenography, a branded event, these are marketing touchpoints in their own right, as much as any point of sale.

What creates preference is never what people expect. It's what they didn't see coming, what surprises them, moves them. Our work is to imagine it, then bring it to life."

OWNING YOUR TERRITORY

A strong brand isn't judged on a single medium, but on its ability to be recognised immediately, everywhere it appears. On social media, at events, in activations, in merchandising, in scenography: every expression must carry the same identity, the same narrative. A brand must fully inhabit its territory, down to the partnerships it chooses. Even if that means surprising people, showing up where no one expected it, while staying in perfect coherence with who it is.

I push our clients to go beyond the standards of their industry, to create their own universe, their own codes, their own merchandise, to invent what will make them unique, and therefore deeply desirable.

YOUR WORLDS, OUR PLAYGROUNDS

Châteaux & brand identity. Château owners, often absent from day-to-day communication or unfamiliar with its levers, tend to underestimate the impact of a strong brand identity. Yet it's precisely what drives preference, loyalty and word of mouth. We work across the entire value chain: positioning strategy, creation of a coherent visual and narrative identity, content production, and event design, turning your property into a true brand.

Wine estates & oenotourism. Purchasing habits have evolved. Consumers, especially younger generations, no longer attach themselves solely to the bottle, but to the full experience: the estate's story, the singularity of the terroir, the sensory immersion. The classic chai-cuvier-vine-tasting tour is no longer enough to stand out. We tell your estate's story by creating premium oenotourism journeys, unique sensory experiences, and a storytelling that belongs to you alone.

Culinary studio. An exceptional culinary experience is a strategic lever for strengthening your brand image. Beyond gastronomic quality, it's the perfect alignment between concept, atmosphere and brand identity that creates emotion and engagement. We lead the entire project: creative direction, development of a unique concept, and bespoke scenography, drawing on a network of specialists to deliver results at the level your ambitions demand.

Corporate & business tourism. Corporate events are opportunities to reinforce company culture and employer brand. Seminars, dinners, business trips: we support B2B clients in designing and organising moments that reflect who they are. Introductions to exceptional venues, bespoke formats, programming designed around your objectives. Every event is conceived to bring your teams together, leave a mark on your guests, and embody the identity of your company.