This year’s “Business Supports the Arts” theme was inspired by one of our favorite artists, Jean-Michel Basquiat, who often worked wearing Armani, showing up at public events in paint-splattered suits. We used the simple black tie as a symbol of support from local businesses, and a holding device for all the different forms of art the Cultural Alliance advocates for.

The Alive at Five concert series has been a staple in Stamford for over 20 years. (We remember when it was free – and you could bring your own cooler.) When Stamford Downtown reached out to help bring the event back to life this summer, we just assumed the original “Alive @ Five” lockup would be a dreaded “mandatory.” But the more we explored, the more we felt it was time for a brand refresh. We presented 3 options, none of which included the old logo. (Though there may have been alts in our back pocket 😉 Then we just had a frank discussion about brand equity and the merits of maintaining a consistent look and feel versus breaking through the clutter with a bold new approach for 2022. Turns out, all we had to do was ask. The entire team was on board with the concept we dubbed “Summertime Rhythm & Rhyme.” We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. Look for this design to paint the town pink, teal, and tangerine all summer long.