Grant's Farm

The Busch family home since 1903, Grant’s Farm is located in St. Louis County, MO. The 281-acre property is the original breeding site for Clydesdales in the U.S., including the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Five members of the Busch family now own and operate the property with the shared goal of keeping this unique piece of family and national history relevant and meaningful for generations to come.

Key Strategic Question

How can an iconic family estate and community asset evolve to connect with a new generation of guests and team members while preserving its history?

H&S worked with the ownership group and president to develop a deep understanding of the vision for the property. We then created the first-ever brand strategy and a flexible design and communications system that showcases the full Grant’s Farm experience. We also developed and implemented a digital-first approach with a newly conceived website as the hub for farm-fresh information.H&S served as the Grant’s Farm's brand management team for five years. In that time, we developed the property's first-ever merchandise strategy, membership strategy, e-commerce presence and influencer network.We also created design and communications strategies to commemorate Grant's Farm's 120th anniversary and 70th season of being open to the public.

During our tenure, Grant's Farm welcomed record numbers of guests and was voted a Yelp Top 10 Kids Attraction.

Brand, Design and Communications Strategy for a Multi-faceted Experience

With more than 90% brand recognition in St. Louis, Grant’s Farm is hardly an unknown entity. Beloved by generations, this iconic yet accessible family estate is a highly personal collection of what is near and dear to the Busch family members’ hearts: a cross-section of animals (including the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales), German heritage and architecture, as well as Grant’s Cabin built by former owner and U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant – all set on 281 acres of nature. The property and family history are intrinsically intertwined with the history of the country as well as one of our most famous beer dynasties – Anheuser-Busch.

Because the Grant’s Farm experience is multi-faceted and growing, the brand, design, and communication strategies had to provide a big enough umbrella to capture the richness and evolving nature of the experience. The goal was to inspire visitors to move from an occasional visit every few years to multiple visits every year.

H&S Role & Services

Conducted stakeholder interviews and competitive research
Mapped property assets to ensure a full understanding and expression of the Grant's Farm experience
Established communications strategy
Developed website as a go-to-hub for guests
Codified mission, vision, values as well as internal and external messaging
Developed brand strategy with modern expressions across digital and OOH touch points, including a system of icons, animations, GIFs and merchandising options
Developed seasonally inspired digital assets, including newsletter templates and event art work
Provided ongoing brand management services, including development and implementation of editorial focus for each of the property's social media channels
Developed the communications and design strategies for the 120th anniversary (of being in the Busch family) and the 70th anniversary (of being open to the public)
Developed the property's first merchandise, membership and e-commerce strategies
Developed regional call for artists to commission a mural for the iconic Tiergarten facade

The digital-first design and communications system celebrates the four seasons and boasts a distinct set of icons to acknowledge the multi-faceted experiences Grant’s Farm offers its guests. While future-focused, the design acknowledges the traditions and nostalgia St. Louis residents associate with the property. We created a set of identities and animations for key seasonal events to establish a distinct, recognizable look and feel. We conceived the design system to work across digital and physical expressions.

Long-standing Client Partnership

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25-year relationship with president of Grant’s Farm across multiple companies
Multi-year relationship with key leadership at Anheuser-Busch and Grant's Farm ownership group

Long-standing Client Partnership

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