Tillie’s Brand Launch
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Tillie's Brand Launch
Fine Dining Meets Storytelling
When I joined Whim Hospitality in the spring of 2018, they were cooking up something big—a fine dining concept that would become Tillie’s, the crown jewel of the Camp Lucy resort in Dripping Springs, Texas. With no time for soft openings or soft branding, I jumped in as Director of Brand & PR to make sure this restaurant hit the ground running, looking and sounding as polished as its menu tasted.
The Brand: Finding the Right Flavor
Acting as the liaison between the Whim Executive Leadership team and an outside branding agency, I made sure both sides were aligned and heard. My goal? To bring the concept to life as an authentic reflection of stakeholder intentions while staying visually stunning and strategically sound. Responsibilities included:
Brand Style and Copy Guides – Creating the playbook for Tillie’s voice, visuals, and messaging.
Marketing Strategy – Developing both print and digital campaigns that showcased Tillie’s elegance and Hill Country charm.
Menu Design – Crafting menu layouts that looked as good as the food tasted.
By the end of 2019, the effort paid off. The Austin American-Statesman named Tillie’s one of the Top 50 Restaurants in Austin, proving it was more than just a pretty dining room.
Public Relations
A restaurant launch is only as good as the buzz you build. I created a comprehensive press kit that covered everything from Tillie’s unique concept and menu to the history of its gorgeous building and the Camp Lucy property. This press kit landed on the desks (and in the inboxes) of media contacts across Central Texas.
To amplify the hype, I organized a pre-opening VIP dinner, inviting the region’s top food critics, bloggers, and social media influencers. By the time the doors officially opened, the foodie community was already talking about Tillie’s—and Instagramming every bite.
Online Review Sites
Reputation management was key, so I took charge of monitoring and responding to reviews across Yelp, Google, and Facebook. I also ran a strategic PPC campaign on Yelp for the first year, ensuring Tillie’s showed up where hungry people were searching. The result? A sparkling 4.5-star rating on Yelp as of February 2020.
What I Did:
Brand Development – Directed the creation of Tillie’s brand identity, from voice to visuals.
Marketing Strategy – Designed and executed print, digital, and menu-focused campaigns.
Public Relations – Created press kits and hosted a VIP dinner that built regional buzz and earned media.
Reputation Management – Monitored reviews, engaged with guests online, and managed a Yelp PPC campaign to attract diners.
Tillie’s earned its place as one of Austin’s must-visit dining destinations, capturing glowing media coverage, enthusiastic reviews, and a top-tier reputation. From concept to launch to 5-star dinners, I made sure Tillie’s branding and PR were as refined as its setting.