Campaign Design: The Northampton Sidewalk Sales

The city of Northampton has become something of a branding playground for us. We’re so grateful many small businesses that call the city home have trusted us with their brand identities - like Familiars, 25 Central, and Firetype - and we’ve also had the opportunity to create cohesive, fun marketing campaigns for events like Summer on Strong and the DNA’s holiday shopping initiative. What a privilege to make cool things for the city we love!

Northampton’s annual Sidewalk Sales event is pretty iconic, a decades-long tradition of supporting local shops out in the sunshine each July. The sales are the best all year, and shoppers come from miles around to take advantage of the deals. We were thrilled at the opportunity to create branding and marketing materials that would unite participating shops, and create the feeling of a big celebration all weekend long.

We created a brand identity, custom illustrations, poster, postcards, website, and lots of other fun little details and goodies to arm downtown shops with, and generate lots of excitement around the weekend.

The big sale kicks off this Thursday and runs through the weekend - don’t miss out! Visit northamptonsidewalksales.com to plan your day.

Branding: Finch Flower Co.

Flowers have certainly been a big theme for many of our branding endeavors this year – but there was one floral-themed project in particular that we couldn’t wait to get started on. Nina got in touch back in the spring with an idea that made us just giddy: an antique flower truck! She had just secured the keys for a 1957 Ford F100, and was ready to launch her dream business, Finch Flower Co, here in Western Massachusetts.

The image of locally-grown bouquets adorning the bed of this cream-colored vintage pick-up was nothing short of inspiring, and we wanted to complement that iconic look with branding that told the full story of a unique business.

Starting with the logo, it was all romance and floral wildness centered around a signature finch.

We built off that ethereal look and feel to both tell the story of the truck – affectionately called “Birdie”! – and create a memorable aesthetic. Secondary logos, custom illustrations, brand marks, monograms, call-outs, and a fun pattern all came together to do the job.

All of these elements were designed with application top-of-mind, as customer experience was at the center of the business. We wanted every interaction with the flower truck to be special and memorable, and looked to achieve that in the details of the bouquet packaging and truck adornments.

A custom A-frame chalk board and subtle, elegant truck signage made for a versatile and flawless presentation at events.

Gilded business cards really elevated the whole look and feel - there’s nothing like seeing your logo set in gold foil!!!

Custom floral tissue was a place where we really maximized the floral illustrations into a repeat brand pattern - and then subdued it just a bit by pairing it with a more neutral brown kraft paper.

It was fun to sprinkle our little finch throughout this brand!

The silk floral ribbon may be our most favorite element of this project - elegantly tying it all together, quite literally. Paired with a tag (which doubles as a mini business card!) each bouquet really delivers the full brand experience in a tasteful way.

We couldn’t have been more pleased with the way this brand came together. It has been so much fun to see Nina and Birdie out on the road this summer, at events and gatherings all over the Pioneer Valley. Follow her travels over on instagram and learn more about booking the truck for events on the Finch Flower Co. website - designed and developed by our trusted partner, Emily King at Wheel Horse Digital!

Thank you Nina for this incredible vision - it was a thrill to help bring it to life and we are so glad to have this gem of a small business in our community!

Branding: Firetype Chocolate

Late October. We are right on the precipice of prime chocolate-eating season: that delicious stretch of time that spans between Halloween and Easter when every holiday-shaped chocolatey peanut butter treat is more than well justified. It brings me peace.

And so what a TIME to launch what must be our funnest branding project of 2022. Over the summer, Dan, who runs that wonderful chocolate shop kiosk in Thornes fka Heavenly Chocolate, reached out with big exciting plans. He had taken ownership of the long-standing business about two years prior, and was feeling ready to spread his wings and make the shop all his own - carrying forth all of the heritage and tradition of handmade chocolate we know and love, but with an exciting new twist. It was high time for a total rebrand - how I love those sweet words.

“What’s the new name?” I asked

“Firetype!” Dan said with confidence.

Hmmm. An interesting choice indeed. Certainly a departure from “Heavenly Chocolate” to say the least. I politely asked my new client Dan to tell me more, please.

So, Dan is into Pokemon. I mean yes I am too but Dan is really into Pokemon. He explained the spicy nature of Fire-type Pokemon, and how it relates to his own approach to running the shop. He also talked about the larger mission of this business beyond delicious handmade chocolate, in which he strives to always do right by his employees and make a positive impact on our community. I bought into the new name 100% by the end of our chat. There’s nothing I love more than a brand that carries deep personal significance, but remains approachable and appealing to the masses. My absolute favorite kind of design challenge.

So, we set out to create a Pokemon-inspired brand for a chocolate shop. Here’s what we came up:

For the main logo, we worked a Firetype symbol in between two favorite chocolate shapes - which opened up a whole world of possibilities for these cute little chocolately icons. They are perched atop fun, bold, slightly wonky lettering, which gets even a touch more chaotic with alternating fire-y colors. It all fits together nicely though - and feels surprisingly balanced.

When it came to expanding the brand and applying it to packaging, this is one of those projects where it all just flowed. Those little chocolatey minions, bright colors, Dan’s sense of humor, and all of the fun details that make this shop unique made for a rich story to illustrate.

I love chocolate so yes this was a fun one for me - but really, it was Dan who made this one a blast. He was so open to my ideas, his witty email correspondence remains unparalleled within the depths of my inbox, his Instagram captions are savage, and he really does make a mean peanut butter puck - not to mention a mean peanut butter miso. Need to try for yourself? Obviously you do. He ships confections nationwide from the Firetype website, and you can’t beat stopping by the booth in Thornes and just eating a dozen on the spot. Highly recommend. Happy Chocolate Season!

Branding: The Wilbraham Welcome Project

This one hits close to home - literally! Wilbraham, Massachusetts is my hometown. It’s where I grew up, it’s where my family’s farm operates, it’s where The Homegrown Studio is headquartered. Wilbraham is home.

Aurora was a friend I had growing up who peaced out of Wilbraham as a young adult and then found her way back here with a husband and two beautiful kids. Aurora and I go way back; our Moms met through Welcome Wagon in the ‘90s. When Aurora returned and set her own family’s roots down here in 2020, she was both a native and newcomer, and she was eager to reengage with community. Finding limited opportunities outside of gossipy town Facebook forums, she had a vision along the lines of 1990s Welcome Wagon - but cool. Something that would welcome the new folks into town while engaging long time residents too. She affectionately started calling it The Wilbraham Welcome Project, and asked if I might like to collaborate with her on it.

Having long ago made peace with the fact that I am indeed a townie, in all likelihood bound to this place for life, I jump at any chance to try and make Wilbraham a little cooler. It’s never going to be Northampton cool, but it’s definitely got it’s own vibe going. The Wilbraham Welcome Project sounded like the perfect way to celebrate that vibe. So we got started.

Peaches. Wilbraham is all about the peaches. Growing up, the pinnacle of summer was reached each August at The Peach Festival, which you’d walk to with your friend group, eat peach sundaes, go on janky rides, win goldfish in bags at carnival games, and hopefully make out during the fireworks. The original Peach Fest is sadly no longer, but peaches remain our iconic town crop - although arguably these days it is all about the apples.

Anyhow, peaches are at the center of this brand. We put a peach on everything. Voting stickers, tote bags, shirts, hats, holiday ornaments - all peached.

An offshoot of this effort was a revival of the town farmer’s market, which The Wilbraham Welcome Project proudly manages. We branded that too, making everything consistent and instantly recognizable. I beam with pride every time I see a lawn sign in town, and enjoy bringing Iron Horse Flowers to the market each Wednesday with my sister.

We packaged it all up into a website - a single resource for new and current residents for all things Wilbraham. It includes a town calendar, helpful links, a merch shop (the year of merch continues!) , farmer’s market info, and more.

Celebrate, cultivate, champion is the motto for The Wilbraham Welcome Project: we’re celebrating our beautiful town and all its rich heritage, cultivating a strong community and bright future, and championing the local businesses and organizations that make this an awesome place to live.

This was way more than a branding project to me - it was about helping shape the future of my home, and it has been so cool to see a new kind of hometown pride blossoming as a result. Thanks to Aurora for the monumental effort she has made to bring this idea to life, our town is surely better for it.

Branding: The Goldenrod Country Inn

A timeless Western Massachusetts question for you: what exactly is The Hilltowns? Which towns qualify? North of Northampton? South of Geenfield? East of The Berkshires? After the Westfield Exit but Before the Lee Exit? It’s hilly for sure, but a bit vague overall.

Maybe The Hilltowns just need a little branding - a more memorable look and feel to do them justice. Eric and Aaron Frary saw that kind of potential in a sleepy Worthington bed & breakfast, The Fiddlehead Inn, which also housed a local tavern. They purchased the spot over the winter, and had one big goal in mind: let’s make The Hilltowns more of a destination.

This was a total rebrand along with a big renovation - in with the new! Now known as The Goldenrod Country Inn, Eric and Aaron wanted to create a welcoming place that offered guests a retreat into nature, a strong sense of community, and an authentic, hands-on farm-to-table experience.

We embraced the natural beauty of the setting in this one, and gave it a bit of a retro-hip twist. Here’s the primary logo and some variations:

There was a lot of opportunity to illustrate the whole experience at The Goldenrod, starting with the inn itself, tucked away into an evergreen forest:

The Farm, Garden, and Forest offer guests many ways to connect with nature:

(Featuring favorite goats Maple and Cranberry - LOVE IT.)

And I couldn’t resist some retro hotel motifs! It felt so right for this vibe. A postcard design, a branded keychain, and an invitation to 5pm Aperitivo for guests were so much fun to make.

And, just in case you really weren’t sure how to get to The Hilltowns:

Head for the hills indeed.

I love the way this came together - what a fun story to tell. The Goldenrod Country Inn is launching this month, and is now taking reservations online. Escape to The Hilltowns - home of The Goldenrod Country Inn!

Branding: Yellow Rose Birth Services

A confession: I didn’t really know what a doula was the first time Jaq Tuttle called me about working on some branding together. I knew it was birth-related - maybe like a midwife? Maybe like something a little more spiritual than that…? Is it the person that catches the baby??? All I knew for sure is that Jaq was so sweet to talk with, and she was clearly passionate about helping bring babies into the world. Her Western Mass based business, Yellow Rose Birth Services, does just that.

I learned SO MUCH during our initial Discovery work! Jaq explained that doulas provide emotional, physical, and educational support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. A doula helps guide the birthing process, and is a trusted, constant resource for birther, partner, and the entire birth team. She can help work through fear and uncertainty leading up to birth, offer pressure-relief tactics and positioning recommendations, incorporate a variety of therapies, and she’ll even cook a homestyle meal for everyone once baby has arrived! Her goal is to make sure families have everything they need to feel empowered, supported, and genuinely joyful during their birth journey.

What stood out to me was her excitement around birth: Jaq believes birth can be FUN, and wants to encourage joy and a sense of empowerment throughout the process. I loved this positive outlook, and wanted to capture that in the branding.

For the logo, we really wanted to convey the joy, comfort, and gentle care Jaq offers families.

Another big inspiration for this project was Jaq’s heritage - she was born and raised in Texas, a true yellow rose! Her grandmother was a big influence on her work - she had what Jaq lovingly calls “prairie-woman know-how”. Jaq strives to incorporate that grit and gumption into all she does at Yellow Rose. I jump at any chance to bring in a little cowgirl aesthetic, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.

When it came to putting these designs into print - I couldn’t have been more excited to hear priority #1 was a baby onesie!!!! Jaq calls each baby born in her care a “little yellow rosebud” - now if that isn’t onesie material, I don’t know what is.

Note the cute swaddle blanket pattern too! So much joy!

This was such a fun project to work on - thank you Jaq for teaching me about the wonderful work of doulas, and for all of your cowgirl collaboration on this project! Jaq is currently booking clients with spring due dates, get in touch with her to bring some serious joy to your birth story. Let’s meet this baby!!!

Downtown Northampton Association Holiday Campaign

It’s hard to believe it’s holiday time already - weren’t we all just dining al fresco on Strong Avenue? But here we are somehow, decking the halls.

Holiday joy came a little early for me this year, when the wonderful Downtown Northampton Association got in touch about creating a big, beautiful holiday campaign to celebrate shopping locally. I couldn’t have been more excited! Downtown Northampton has been my go-to for holiday shopping since I was a teenager - I can always count on finding something unique for everyone on my list, a festive winter stroll, and a hot tea from Familiars on one end of town, and a cookie from Hungry Ghost on the other. I wanted to illustrate that wholeeee cozy, jolly vibe.

Our campaign was focused on that magical feeling you can find in Northampton this time of year.

We created branded materials that shop owners and shoppers can all enjoy. There are posters…

…gift tags…

…greeting cards…

…window clings - how many can you spot downtown?

…and a full page ad in the Gazette!

Shopping locally is so important to me - and it’s what fuels our vibrant, magical community. I hope this inspires all you Western Mass folk to make your way downtown this holiday season, support our business owners, and share in that holiday magic.

A HUGE thank you to Amy at the DNA for being the heart and soul behind the shop local movement. The DNA is keeping Northampton vibrant in so many ways - check them out!

Branding: 25 Central

Surely every Western Mass Girl remembers her first visit to Thornes Marketplace, babysitting cash burning a hole in that knock-off Coach bag. I think I was in eighth grade or so, and a whole new level of cool christened me as I pushed open those swinging doors and shuffled down the creaky hallway - this was no Holyoke Mall. I remember following my gaggle of friends straight to the back corner of the first floor - there was a fall dance on Friday and we were going to 25 Central.

25 Central never lost its cool factor. Whether it was a flirty dress, a quirky scarf, or a little bling - there was always something to catch my eye when I visited the shop here and there over the next two decades of womanhood.

So, when Katie - the shop’s fabulous proprietor - called me up back in the spring with some big news, middle-school me did a happy dance.

25 Central was making a big move over the summer - straight out to Main Street. Katie had taken ownership of the Northampton shop about five years earlier, and had been working on growing the brand, expanding the inventory, and keeping things young, hip, and fresh. 25 Central has been around since the 80’s, and Katie’s hard work was feeling hidden way in the back of Thornes. She found the perfect storefront, signed on the dotted line, and her next big project was a rebrand. I couldn’t have been more excited!

When Katie and I chatted about the look and feel of 25 Central over the years, there was one iconic element to the scattered branding that customers knew and loved: the store’s leopard print shopping bags. This gave me an idea that I was thrilled Katie was willing to run with:

This chic leopard. She was going to be the mascot for our brand, and help bring some well-deserved attention to the new 25 Central.

I let the rest of the branding be inspired by Katie’s bubbly personality. Her enthusiasm is what makes the store a truly fun place to be, and it’s what keeps customers coming back. She always has a great recommendation, knows how to brighten every shopper’s day, and was always telling me, “it needs more sparkle!!!!!” If that doesn’t sum up this brand, I don’t know what does.

We made some cute business cards, a gift card, and bunch of fun stickers…

…and the crown jewel: the storefront sign. We defied the downtown Northampton regulatory odds in making this giant, sparkling, party of a sign, and I am so glad we did. It’s bring the fun back to Main Street. Big thanks to Porcupine Signs for helping us bring this to life.

I love the way this brand came together because it exudes the personality of a business without reservation. It celebrates the shop’s beloved customers and the vibrant community it lives in, and gets everyone around it excited.

Thank you for an AMAZING project, Katie and 25 Central!!!!!

Branding: Thomas Farm & Dairy

One of my favorite things about spring is the abundance of cute baby animals. Baby chickens, baby horses, baby cows, baby sheep – that is – chicks, foals, calves, lambs. I’m a bit partial to baby goats though – kids. There’s something about their playfulness and awkwardness that just melts my heart. I fell in love with a Nubian goat kid aptly named JoyJoy last spring at Thomas Farm & Dairy, and that love grew into one of my most favorite branding projects to date.

 Thomas Farm & Dairy is well established in Western Massachusetts for their delectable goat cheese. If you’ve ordered a salad with goat cheese on top from a local restaurant, I’ll bet it came from Thomas Farm & Dairy. Their chèvre is award-winning, and the secret to their success is actually pretty simple, albeit much hard work: they put a lot of love into it.

When I visited Thomas Farm & Dairy and met owners Laurie and Jim, I was welcomed so warmly, and was instantly struck by the level of care they put into all they do. Laurie walked into the goat barn, and hundreds of goats suddenly had eyes only for her, climbing over one another to get a cuddle in. She called each one by name and told me their unique stories and quirks. It was clear – she loved these goats and they loved her.

And I loved JoyJoy! Client meetings are always fun, but I have to say this one was really fun.  

 In building a brand for this farm, I wanted to capture all the love, care, and joy that I witnessed in just that one visit. Goats are a big deal at Thomas Farm & Dairy, but it’s also a very diverse farm – they’re raising and milking Jersey and Swiss Brown Cows, growing vegetables and cut flowers, running a roadside farm stand, and more. This was a big story to tell, and we started with the logo:

We kept the goats the focus for the primary logo – two ladies grooming one another. We thought it really conveyed that feeling of love that goes into everything on this farm and captured the sweet personalities of Nubians in particular.

 That was expanded into a set of secondary logos and custom brand illustrations that work together to tell the full story of this farm. I like how we brought in a little retro dairy farm flair that still feels modern and exciting.

Taglines were fun to develop for this farm too, using typography to once again describe those values of love, joy, and care.

Thomas Farm’s farm stand was also a huge focus of this project, as it has become an important and reliable resource for local food during the pandemic. Laurie and Jim keep all of their cheeses, seasonal vegetables, and cut flower bouquets in stock throughout the year, as well as a terrific spread of other favorite local goods. We gave The Farm Stand its own logo and really made it shine.

All of this branding was incorporated into a new website, that makes it easy to find Thomas Farm & Dairy cheeses, learn about the farm, and get a behind the scenes look at everything going on there.

The final piece was a label update, which really brought the branding together in a practical and beautiful way that ought to really stand out on the shelf. We developed labels for all varieties of goat cheese, and for the farm’s famous squeaky cheese curds.

I love how the little colored ribbons differentiate the cheeses. So many delicious flavors!

To come full circle, this project was truly a labor of love. Laurie and Jim were so enthusiastic throughout the process, and deeply care about the ways they share their farm with the community. Most recently, they are really inspiring me with these barn quilts they’ve been painting and hanging around the farm. So genuinely on-brand. Wow!

Thank you Thomas Farm & Dairy for all your collaboration on this project, and thank you to CISA for helping make it possible! We accomplished this project in partnership with CISA, who does such a fabulous job of connecting local farmers with resources to help them succeed. Local farms - reach out to CISA to see how we can work together to help you tell your story with some new branding! (and don’t forget I offer a 15% discount to Local Heroes!)

Branding: Rooted Flowers

There are some farms in Western Massachusetts that are just establishments, and I am always humbled when those establishments trust me with their brand. It’s an overwhelming honor - really. When Becky of Rooted Flowers got in touch about refreshing her brand, I got that feeling.

Photo courtesy of Rooted Flowers

Becky has been farming all her life, coming from a long line of hard working farmers here in the Pioneer Valley. Cut flowers are her focus, growing all her beautiful blooms from seed and designing stunning arrangements. Becky and her family recently moved from Hadley to Agawam, onto a plot of land all their own, and Becky has totally transformed the acreage from dormant farmland to rows upon rows of flowers in just a little over a year’s time. I’ve had a first-hand glimpse of just some of the work going on over at Rooted - and let me tell you - it’s nothing short of amazing. Check out her daily Instagram stories to see what I mean.

With the new land and a new chapter beginning for Rooted Flowers, it was time for a brand update as well. Becky really wanted to offer the heart of her farm’s story: passing agriculture down through the generations. Becky learned farming from her grandparents, and shares all she does on the farm with her two young daughters, Mary and Julia (Becky was pregnant with Julia for the duration of our project, and ran a successful farm and business during a pandemic - really, it’s AMAZING).

The primary logo is centered around that concept. We have a big “mama” flower and two smaller flowers looking up at her, representing Becky’s two daughters. The logo carries all the elegance and professionalism we needed to appeal to bridal clients, but carries some really significant meaning at the same time.

We rounded out the branding with lots of marks and details that told the story of all that goes on at Rooted, which focuses on three main themes: Grow, Build, and Create. Each theme got its own illustration, and really shows all that goes into every plot, harvest, and bouquet on this farm.

We applied the branding to floral tissue paper, kraft tags, and boxes that were all sourced sustainably and are recyclable and compostable, putting Becky’s mission into clear practice.

Of course designing for a beautiful flower farm is as much fun as it sounds like it might be, but furthermore, I learned so much from Becky in the process. Witnessing her energy, enthusiasm, grit, perseverance, work ethic, and genuine love for the land and her family totally inspired me, and made for some work I’m really excited about and proud of. Rooted is truly an establishment in our Western Mass farming community. Thanks Becky!

We accomplished this project in partnership with CISA, who does such a fabulous job of connecting local farmers with resources to help them succeed. Local farms - reach out to CISA to see how we can work together to help you tell your story with some new branding! (and don’t forget I offer a 15% discount to Local Heroes!)