Dawn Manor

Dawn Manor is a new Victorian inspired restaurant, bar, and speakeasy in Wisconsin Dells. Once a real 19th century house, Dawn Manor was rebuilt and renovated as a dining experience that offers five distinct, themed rooms, two bars, a gift shop, and a patio. I had the opportunity to write and design their advertising campaign and website. The Dawn Manor team wanted to position themselves as a unique experience that's a notch above their competition.

As a new restaurant that's located off the beaten path, I knew they needed to make an impression with their campaign design, especially in an area that is overrun with ads. I used old photos from the Library of Congress and researched Victorian slang to bring a memorable sense of humor to the ads. I played up the Victorian theme further with subtle use of wallpaper patterns and incorporating ornate golden frames. Food still needed to be the focus, so I incorporated large, mouth-watering images and brightened their color palette a bit to make it more appetizing. Even with so many components, I maintained plenty of space, so Dawn Manor would stand out against the busy, overcrowded ads. I also came up with social media content ideas, such as Victorian word of the day.

When designing the website, I limited the use of color to emphasize the photography and create a sophisticated look. Touches of gold, green, and red emphasize buttons and calls to action. I designed two custom wallpaper patterns that incorporate the DM icon. They are used as section background elements, and they were actually printed and applied to some walls at Dawn Manor. I incorporated elements from the campaign into the website, such as the Victorian slang and the gold, ornate frames. Other details, such as the custom arrows inspired by the full logo, give the site a unique, custom look. The website includes a map integration and a floor plan integration that allows users to explore the different themed rooms.

In addition to the campaign platform and website, I also developed several in-person marketing materials, such as straws for kids' root beer floats that had fake mustaches attached, a large Victorian frame that could be used as a prop for in-house photography and group events, and Victorian cabinet cards that could hold instant photos taken for a birthday dinner or other celebration.

Lastly, I had the opportunity to name many dishes and drinks on the menu: Demure Mule (NA Mule), Chicken Potsdam Pie (reference to the original Potsdam sandstone), Balderdash Hash, Newport Pork (reference to the lost city of Newport Dawn Manor was built in), The Twain (a two-egg breakfast, The Twain is both a reference to Mark Twain, an author of the era, and an archaic term meaning two), Crack of Dawn Omelet, Chappie Chicken, Dimber-Damber Dates, Parlor Yogurt Parfait, Cap's Crabcake Benedict (Dawn Manor was originally built by Captain Abraham Vanderpoel), and several others.