creative Director:
Visual concept development, Graphic system design,
Typography direction, Social-first design strategy,
Brand translation within existing guidelines, Mobile ad design
matador network
agency:
Role:
Biltmore Estate:
Repositioning a Legacy Icon for a New Generation
The Ask
Biltmore needed to shift perception. Historically associated with older, traditional audiences, the brand wanted to resonate with a younger, more diverse generation — without abandoning its heritage. The campaign centered on a Black travel influencer as talent and focused heavily on social media storytelling. The challenge: Modernize the visual language while preserving institutional credibility.
A heritage estate rooted in tradition, reintroduced through a social-first campaign designed to resonate with a new generation of travelers. Working within Biltmore’s established brand guidelines, I translated the institution’s visual language into a modern, culturally aware system built for mobile, motion, and digital consumption. The goal was not to discard history, but to reinterpret it — shifting perception from formal and untouchable to present, participatory, and shareable.
“This isn’t what I thought Biltmore would be.”
Christy hamilton
The direction leaned into:
- Scrapbook-inspired layouts
- Tactile, nostalgic textures
- Social-native pacing
- Highly legible typography optimized for mobile
The aesthetic intentionally bridged eras — heritage meets handheld. The goal wasn’t to erase history. It was to make it accessible. I developed the initial visual system and motion concepts that were approved for production. A motion designer later expanded and animated the system for final execution.
Creative Approach
The campaign modernizes without erasing. By maintaining Biltmore’s core brand structure while shifting the visual tone and talent perspective, the work expands the audience without alienating the existing one.
The scrapbook-inspired system makes the estate feel human and participatory. The social-first pacing makes it current. The casting reframes who belongs in historically exclusive spaces. It doesn’t reposition through disruption. It repositions through access.
The result is a legacy brand that feels culturally aware, visually contemporary, and native to modern platforms — without losing its institutional authority.
why it works
Early concepts created for Biltmore Estate x Matador by Jess Palmer
Early concept created for Biltmore Estate x Matador by Jess Palmer
The goal wasn’t to modernize for the sake of aesthetics. It was to make space for a new audience. The visual system balanced heritage structure with contemporary social fluency — allowing the estate to feel present without losing its history. Design became the bridge.
