Telling Stories that Matter

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Stories that Matter

Chattamatters Visual Identity

Chattamatters is a brand new project from The Enterprise Center in partnership with The City of Chattanooga. Civic Storytelling Director, Mary Helen Montgomery, and Videographer & Motion Graphics Producer, Ian-Alijah Bey, have teamed up to lead the project. Pitched as a civic storytelling initiative, Chattamatters aims to "promote civic engagement and help residents understand some of the biggest issues facing our community (and how to address them)".

We worked with the Chattamatters team to design a visual identity that is bold and optimistic in tone, straightforward and approachable in execution. The visual strategy is meant to center the content and not the brand—to unite the series of stories with a cohesive aesthetic that does not complicate the user's experience.

Creative Direction: Paul Rustand, Design Direction & Design: Mark Walter.

A Bright Start

A Bright Start

BrightBase Identity Design

BrightBase Management was founded by the grandson of what is now known as Republic Parking Services. With over 50 years of combined experience, the BrightBase team serves the Chattanooga area with a southern charm that is wise and welcoming.

As an new entity, BrightBase needed branding that reflected the expertise and insight that accompanies decades of management experience, while capturing the loyal, neighborly essence to be expected of a Chattanooga local’s entrepreneurial venture. Widgets & Stone helped guide the new company through naming and identity design. The typographic logomark, the brand’s jumping off point, subtly connotes driving lanes or parking lines, while grounding itself with a highly legible sans serif font.

The website guides customers and potential employees with bold buttons and simple drop-down menus. BrightBases’ web presence is so instinctive, a user could navigate it while driving—though we don’t recommend it!

Creative Direction: Paul Rustand; Design: Brad Dicharry, Emily Ricks; Photography: Unsplash.

Because Every Thread Counts

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Because Every Thread Counts

Microseal Chattanooga

MicroSeal is the only fabric protectant that works from the inside out. For more than 30 years, the industry-leading formula has worked by penetrating fibers instead of coating them, permanently guarding each and every thread against stains and fading. From rugs to upholstery, curtains to aircraft interiors, MicroSeal provides all kinds of fabrics with seamless, spotless and timeless protection – year after year, wear after wear.

Microseal licenses providers based on regions of the country, and most of these providers are cleaning or manufacturing services that focus on the technical side of Microseal rather than the aesthetic. Chattanooga’s Microseal provider also owns high end furnishing and interior design companies and understands great quality furniture and fabric – and the need to protect it. So Widgets & Stone created a simple but elegant look and feel for this region’s Microseal services. Collaborating with 26 Tools for keen copy and Kyle McKillop for photography, the team built stationery, collateral material and a web site.

http://www.microsealchattanooga.com

Creative Direction: Paul Rustand; Designers: Brad Dicharry, Amy Trumbull, Liz Tapp, Travis Hitchcock; Writing: 26 Tools; Photography: Kyle McKillop.

Renewing a Saint

Renewing a Saint

Refreshing a classic Chattanooga brand

Widgets & Stone is pleased to be collaborating with Chef Daniel Lindley to help refresh the wonderful St. John’s Restaurant brand with some new menu designs, signage and logo concepts. 

Above are pictured some proposed logo variations, built on the subject matter of the established logo design. The new illustrations by David Webb (and letterpress printed by Terry Chouinard) draw out the craftsmanship and character of the restaurant and its food, while the modified typography adds subtlety and depth.

Creative Direction: Paul Rustand; Illustration: David Webb; Letterpress Printing: Terry Chouinard.

BOOMTOWN.

Bringing the American Institute of Architects to town, in style.

Naming, branding, print and web collateral, environmental design.

For several years, the American Institute of Architects TN chapter had bounced their annual convention and expo around the state, skipping over Chattanooga. So when it was the city’s turn again, local architecture leaders wanted to make an impact. 

Widgets worked with local AIA board members and Caleb Ludwick on naming and strategy, to tell the story of Chattanooga through architecture. Exploding assumptions (e.g. “expos are boring”) and exploring possibilities (e.g. “what if we encouraged escape routes out of the conference”), we created a communications strategy that benefitted both the AIA and the city.

Goals: 

Create an identity for the expo that captures Chattanooga’s spirit and drive.

Draw architects and vendors from around the region.

Draw people out of the expo, into the city.

Give the locals a reminder of the benefits of great urban design and architecture.

Deliver an integrated communications platform.

We’re proud of our city. Of what it has become, and what it still could become. Putting aside boosterism for a moment, and all of the public relations opportunities, national news articles and photo ops… what do you see? 

A lovely city tucked between the mountains and the river. A downtown that has retained its upward trajectory, despite historic and recent challenges. A place with a unique character – never finished, always on the cusp, future-focused. A bit edgy, a bit conservative.

A boomtown. 

Click here to see the full presentation of the design thinking and identity development as presented to AIA leadership, implemented for the event – and positioning to bring the benefits of living in Chattanooga not just to convention-goers or any one segment of residents, but to everyone. See more designs on our Flickr Boomtown set.