Design and Implement a Small Business with Digital Marketing Be Happy, Se Feliz: Find Your Happiness and Learn to Put It First

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and organize a plan to market an Airbnb vacation rental property in the Caribbean by a single female parent in her 30’s. The study includes research on Universal Design Uses for Marketing in Tourism or Travel, Digital Marketing/Social Media Marketing (including for travel sites) and Small business and branding development. The design of the study includes a proposal, methodology for the design and the production of digital artifacts including branding development with personal website and social media sites. This capstone project was developed and implemented using graphic design concepts, digital photography’s composition techniques, user experience considerations, evaluation of select technologies and select Universal Principles of Design. Throughout the research and design process, similar social media accounts and websites were reviewed to identify likeability, professionalism and conclusions were drawn for why some sites were liked or followed more than others. While viewing sites, session duration, or length of time spent, was also taken into consideration. The successful concepts on these sites were also taken into consideration or applied in the production of web-based marketing materials and platforms to support marketing the rental property in the Caribbean for this capstone. Branding was a major component of successful marketing for all sites. In summary, leveraging many SUNY Polytechnic Information Design and Technology course concepts from Digital Photography, User Experience, Graphic Design and Evaluating Information Technology a new brand was formed: Be Happy, Se Feliz. Branding was designed utilizing elements from graphic design and digital photography, from development of vision and mission statements, audience focus, logo design, typography selection, color palette selection and site development. Several concepts from “Universal Principles of Design” (Lidwell et al., 2010) were reviewed and utilized in the design for projecting the users into an idealistic vacation environment. This was the primary focus of the marketing techniques utilized. Final selection of the tools and platforms used were conducted by utilizing techniques from Evaluating Information Technology.