laura mendes

BRAND EXPERIENCE STRATEGIST

Most brand audits start at the door.
Mine start before your client arrives.
And stay with them long after they’ve left.

PORTO | IBERIAN PENINSULA | EUROPE

I work with premium hospitality, gastronomy and retail brands to identify the specific disconnects between what a brand promises and what a client actually perceives.The deliverable is a Sensory Friction Audit — a dense diagnostic document mapping the full perception journey.
From the first pixel to the last impression — and what happens after the client leaves.
Three weeks. Five layers. One document that names what's costing you perceived value.

most spaces invest only in the visible.
the friction lives elsewhere.

In the acoustic frequency of a dining room.
In the narrative gap between a booking email and a lobby.
In the texture that contradicts the price point.
In the follow-up message that erases what the experience built.
This is what I map: from the first digital touchpoint to the last impression a client carries away.

a boutique hotel wondered why their lobby bar was always quiet despite a 95% occupancy rate

They hired mixologists; they refreshed the menu. The chairs were velvet; the gin was premium.The issue was the floor. Polished marble looks expensive but reflects high-frequency clatter such as heels, spoons and laughter - creating a 'sonic blur.'
It’s mentally taxing to hold a conversation in a room that echoes your own noise. Humans avoid environments that demand high cognitive load for a simple chat.
I named the noise. They added the rugs. Now, the guests stay for the third cocktail.

if something here resonates,
let's talk

No forms. No scheduling links. Just an email.