Written by Carla Ibañez Barquet, Brand Strategist

Remember the famous line of X File’s? The one where Scully reminds Mulder that: "The truth is out there, but so are lies”. It's a simple line, but incredibly powerful. It was true back in the conspiracy era of the 1990s, and it feels just as relevant in today’s world.

In a landscape filled with misinformation and shifting narratives, truth remains a cornerstone for authenticity. For brands, truth isn’t just about honesty; it’s about aligning with the cultural moment and understanding the values that define today’s world. When a brand speaks from a place of genuine understanding, it can cut through the noise and build real connection.

The most effective strategies are built on truth and simplicity. They are not just a recipe for success, but essential ingredients to building a brand that resonates in today’s world. A good strategy empowers businesses to lean in and really own what makes them unique. It gives brands confidence and permission to go beyond the visual identity and bring their story to life in bold, unexpected ways.

This pursuit became our north star when working on the strategy for Hotel Regina in Barcelona. Before designing their new visual identity, we started by asking fundamental questions: Who is this hotel today? Who is it speaking to? And what does it need to say, not just to be noticed, but to be understood?

In a city like Barcelona, with endless hospitality options, a hotel’s story can easily get lost. But Regina had something rare: a century-old soul that had always been there, waiting to be seen. Our job wasn’t to invent something new; it was to reveal what was already there, and make it feel alive and relevant for today’s world.

When strategy and design work together from the start, the outcome has meaning. It’s not just about how it looks, but what it says, and how it makes people feel. At Regina, we didn’t jump straight into typefaces or color palettes. We started looking for the emotional truth of the place. We were listening to the building, the neighbourhood, the staff, the returning guests. And what we found was a kind of timeless elegance, not flashy, not nostalgic, but rooted. A hotel that didn’t need to shout to be heard.

Good strategy it’s not just inventing a story for a brand, it’s about digging deep to find what’s real. It’s not storytelling for the sake of image, but story-finding for the sake of clarity. And when that strategy is grounded in truth, it becomes something that everyone in the business can defend, from the receptionist to the CEO.

That process gave us a solid base to work from, so the visual identity didn’t need to scream for attention; it just needed to feel right. And that only happens when story leads the way.

In hospitality it’s the same, trust isn’t built through decoration alone, it’s built through intention. Sure, a good bed helps. But what really stays with people is the feeling that something true was waiting for them before they even checked in.

So yes, truth is still out there, it still matters, and good strategy knows how to find it.