Babines
Hospitality
Social Media
Brand Strategy
Campaign Management
Melbourne
2025
Since mid-2025, House of Tini has worked with Babines, a French-inspired late-night bar and restaurant on Smith Street, managing their social media, SEO, website, and campaign marketing. Our role has been to refine the digital identity and drive new awareness through storytelling, community activations, and consistent design direction.
Summary
Ongoing digital management for Babines, a French-inspired late-night bar in Collingwood. House of Tini oversees social media, design, SEO, and campaigns, reviving an established venue through fresh events, collaborations, and influencer engagement. The result: engagement up 72%, website visits up 42%, and profile views tripled to 60K per month.
Challenge
Our challenge occured when we discovered Babines had already been open for over a year, which meant media attention and major editorial features had naturally slowed. Maintaining relevance in a saturated Melbourne dining scene — where “new” often equals “newsworthy” — required a shift in approach to regain momentum and grow digital engagement.
Solutions
We developed a content and activation strategy focused on community and experience:
To increase brand awareness, we designed and managed ongoing social campaigns, exciting content, and SEO-optimised web content to increase visibility and engagement.
To expand reach beyond their community, we worked with publications like Sitchu, collaborated with local influencers, and developed campaign pillars that kept content fresh and purpose-driven:
- Apero Electronique – a nod to industry culture and late-night connection.
- Chef Takeovers – spotlighting guest chefs and increasing guests to dine rather than just drink.
- Le Gril (Steak Night) – turning quiet Sunday nights into one of their busiest.
Together, these activations positioned Babines as more than a cocktail bar — but a creative, ever-evolving part of Melbourne’s dining scene.
The results were clear — overall engagement rose 72%, website visits climbed 42%, and profile views tripled from 20K to 60K per month. We saw a 30% increase in Instagram followers in 3 months. Babines’ digital presence now mirrors its in-venue warmth: confident, creative, and unmistakably Melbourne.
