Goals

Turning 20, the then-named Shakespeare Festival St. Louis wanted to be seen for more than their flagship Shakespeare in the Park programming but rather the full scope of their work, outreach and diverse communities. They hoped to unite their season offerings with a consistent visual language in their key artwork—something that had never been done in the Festival’s history.

Overview

The rebrand literally put “St. Louis” at the forefront of the organization as they reorganized their name from “Shakespeare Festival St. Louis” to “St. Louis Shakespeare Festival,” or “STL Shakes.” And in discovery, we decidedly chose the city itself as the brand’s ultimate foundation upon which its pillars were anchored.

In the final, approved mark, the arch in “Shakespeare” places St. Louis in the center of the logo, and the icon maintains an even width throughout to suggest the Festival’s egalitarian offerings while offering a modern aesthetic. Rounding out the complete design system, a cool, night-colored palette accents a modern black & white aesthetic, and exact circles & squares are used throughout the Festival’s visual identity to pay homage to the architectural proportions of St. Louis’ most-famous icon.

We wrote an unofficial tagline, “Meeting you where you are,” and kept it at the forefront of all of our design decisions. Key artwork and gala illustrations reinforce the urban setting with rich black tones and bright pops of color.

Impact

Where some would see relaunching your brand in the midst of a pandemic as a challenge—not STL Shakes! They used the opportunity to further their programming beyond Shakespeare in the Parks launching an online series, “ShakespeareTV,” and inventing interactive experiences like “A Late-Summer Night’s Stroll” and “A Walking X-Mas Carol.” No longer are they known for their most-popular program as the innovative ideas forged by COVID earned them national attention in The New York Times.