JW Marriott

01 — Project Details

Two dining concepts find a home in Tampa's fastest-growing district.

A new Marriott hotel in the heart of Tampa's Water Street District introduced two very ambitious (and very different) restaurants.

Agency: TPD Design House

Scope: Naming, Brand Messaging, Voice Guidelines

The first restaurant: a swanky hotel bar and lounge open from dawn to dusk.

The second: a fast-casual takeout window with an ever-changing menu and chef lineup.

I developed three rounds of naming for each concept, informing brand direction that fit within the larger story of the Water Street District.

02 — Driftlight

This dining concept is in the heart of the hotel, an upscale destination for guests and locals alike.

I wanted to develop a name that honors Water Street’s revitalization and location. Inspired by the lighted bridges that offer pathways throughout the area, Driftlight celebrates the corridor’s pedestrian-focused design and emphasis on clarity and connection.

03 — Driftlight Brand Story

Driftlight is a pathway.

Inspired by the lighted bridges of Tampa, Driftlight connects visitors to the region and to each other. 

We can be your backdrop to bright, sunny breakfasts or long, languid dinners. Our menu of fresh farm-to-table cuisine brings the region to your plate, available all day for the shared experience of dining.

04 — Turntable

If Driftlight is the hotel’s destination for longer meals and extravagance, Turntable is just the opposite.

Conceived as a grab-and-go window with new chefs and menus monthly, the restaurant needed a playful name that reflected its format and inspired social media sharing.

For naming, I leaned into the idea of a food playlist and developed the Turntable name.

This led to fun, thematic language: menu shuffle, main acts, the plate-list, and more.

This theme informed the design and set up of the space, including an emphasis on curated music.

05 — Turntable Messaging

Brand Story.

Turntable is Tampa’s dining remix. We're an ever-shifting showcase of Tampa’s culinary artists.

Consider us Tampa’s perpetually new restaurant. 

Taglines.

Fast. Casual. Fun. Remixed.

Always on shuffle

A fresh spin on dining