With an office in the Haymarket, we experience the district the way it’s meant to be experienced—on foot, in motion, and across seasons. We know it’s a place shaped by daily life and shared moments. And when the opportunity came to refresh the Haymarket brand, it felt personal. We were more than happy to help tell the story of the place we call home.
01
The Challenge
The Historic Haymarket needed a refreshed brand that would invite more people in while reflecting the energy already present in its streets. The existing identity didn’t fully communicate how lively, romantic, and culturally relevant the district had become. Visitors knew it as historic, but not everyone understood how vibrant it feels today.
The challenge was to strike a balance. The new brand needed to capture Haymarket’s historic architecture and legacy without feeling frozen in time. At the same time, it had to bring in the warmth, movement, and creativity that define the district now. The goal was to create a look and feel that reflected how welcoming, alive, and memorable the Haymarket can be at any hour.
02
The Solution
Our direction for Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket brought together a layered, dimensional logo with a timeless sans-serif type treatment. A lyrical, calligraphic line motif connects each element, visually linking past, present, and future. The system was designed to feel grounded yet fluid, allowing the brand to evolve without losing its sense of place.
The messaging mirrored the visual strategy. The tagline “Walk Through Time,” for example, captures how wandering through the Haymarket can feel a little bit like time travel. The cobblestones, the brick façades, and the awnings harken back to a simpler time. The real magic of the creative is that it grounds us in the here and now, where the possibilities are endless.
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The Outcome
The refreshed Haymarket brand has been fully integrated across the district, from hanging signage to a cohesive social media presence. The Haymarket’s brand system provides a consistent way to highlight the district’s liveliness while honoring its historic character. By capturing the character of the Haymarket, we’ve helped the brand continue to grow and give it a space to show how it’s where Lincoln makes its best memories.
