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Raes

How Ribbon Gang helped Raes on Wategos tell a chef-led story of place, passion, and culinary direction through a timeless promotional film.

Campaign Creative
Branding

Hospitality

Visual Media

RAES ON WATEGOS
Raes Restaurant Brand & Storytelling Video

01. What

Ribbon Gang partnered with Raes on Wategos — one of Australia’s most iconic coastal boutique hotels and restaurants — to craft a cinematic brand video that elevates the voice of its head chef and reveals the philosophy behind its acclaimed dining experience. The result was an emotive, visually rich film that invites guests into the ethos, craft, and culture of Raes.

02. How

The Challenge:
Raes wanted to express more than just fine dining. They wanted to articulate a deeper story: one rooted in place, creativity, and coastal elegance. The goal was to capture the essence of the restaurant’s direction through its food, its leadership, and its surroundings — without coming across as overly scripted or promotional.

Why Ribbon Gang:
Raes chose Ribbon Gang for our ability to go beyond video production. We helped shape the story, define the tone, and direct the interview in a way that felt honest, editorial, and aligned with Raes' sophisticated brand. Our understanding of storytelling in luxury hospitality was key to drawing out a compelling narrative that still felt natural and understated.

Constraints & Goals:

  • Align with Raes' elevated brand aesthetic
  • Let the chef’s personality lead without overshadowing the venue
  • Produce a timeless asset that lives on web, social, and PR
  • Deliver with minimal disruption to a live operating venue

03. Our Approach

Strategic Direction:
We began with a creative discovery session focused on the restaurant’s evolution, the chef’s story, and the desired emotional tone. From there, we developed a loose script framework — designed to let the chef speak freely while covering core themes like culinary ethos, sourcing practices, and guest experience.

Creative Execution:

  • Filmed entirely on location at Raes, blending golden-hour natural light with intimate kitchen footage
  • Used handheld and cinematic motion shots to create texture and movement
  • Focused the lens on the chef as storyteller, with supporting visuals of ingredients, team, and coastal scenery
  • Minimalist interview setup to retain authenticity and visual elegance

Production Touches:

  • Drone shots of Wategos Beach to open and close the narrative
  • Premium music licensing and warm grade to match Raes’ design and brand palette
  • Delivered full-length and social cutdowns for multichannel use

This video told our story better than we ever could. It captured not just what we do, but how it feels to experience it.

— Jason Saxby, Head Chef, Raes

04. Execution Highlights

Deliverables:

  • 1 x Hero Brand Film (2–3 min)
  • 3 x Short-form Social Cutdowns (15–30 sec)
  • B-roll and still grabs for future PR or marketing use
  • Interview coordination, lighting, scripting, and editing

Creative Highlights:

  • A soft-spoken but powerful chef interview that captured both humility and vision
  • Slow, elegant pacing that reflects the fine-dining experience at Raes
  • Coastal storytelling that ties cuisine to location in a seamless way

05. Results & Outcomes

Impact:

  • The film was used to promote the restaurant's new culinary direction across digital channels
  • Strengthened Raes’ brand positioning in the luxury travel and hospitality market
  • Used as a high-impact PR asset in media and awards submissions
  • Enabled audiences to connect with the heart of the venue, not just the brand.

Ribbon Gang respectfully acknowledges the people of the Wiradjuri, Gadigal, and Kulin Nations as the traditional custodians of the land on which our company operates. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.

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