Shop Bleecker
Creative Direction for Greenwich Village brick-and-mortar
We created the art direction for #ShopBleecker, a coalition of storefronts on the iconic Bleecker Street in New York.
The Challenge
Online and big box commerce transform the way we shop and live
From fashion to food to nightlife to the arts, Bleecker Street has always been the epicenter of downtown cool. For everyone from Bob Dylan to Dylan Thomas, Jimi Hendrix to Alicia Keys, Bleecker street has been the center of what’s great about New York City.
But even with all its history and rich culture, Bleecker Street is not immune to the threats of online and big box commerce. On the contrary, factor in the ever-increasing rents, and we see why more and more empty storefronts are appearing.
The vacancies are unfathomable and must be combated in some way. If citizens do not support their own streets, then we can say good-bye to our cities’ vitality.
Gabriel Zangari, managing and design director, DGI NYC
The Solution
A local initiative to celebrate the people that make the city
We teamed up with the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce for #ShopBleecker, an initiative reminding everyone that Bleecker Street is still one of the best places in the city to shop, eat, and play.
The elegant visual identity helped the GVCCC to collect sponsors and well-needed funds to get the initiative off the ground. It is particularly impressive that the identity worked seamlessly with both local and international retailers. Paul Smith and Nars, which sell in all the world, become top tier sponsors, as well as Sunni Spencer and Inaya, two local boutiques run by owners.
Our Street. Our People.
Art Direction and Creative consultation to create attention
Working with the GVCCC, we curated art direction and creative aspects, starting with a poignant insight: Bleecker Street is made by the people that live, work, and sweat it every day. Without these amazing individuals, the street would be anonymous like any other, so this became our differentiator from online and big box retailers, and engaged shopkeepers to become our symbol, our heroes. Soon we coined, ‘Our Street. Our people.’ and adopted a black and white Manhattanite portrait style with photographer Adam Garelick. The art direction then overlays simple frames to organize written information and create an elegant and realist image- a true portrait of Greenwich Village.
Our brand strategists and designers have highlighted shopkeepers as the symbol of the street’s vitality. In fact, their black and white portraits are the driving force behind the creative direction, just as they are the driving force in the street itself. We then continued to develop naming, visuals, and imagery for #ShopBleecker.
#Shopbleecker events in November 2017
For the month of November 2017, Bleecker street will be unmissable, with raffles, giveaways and tours augmenting it’s already world-class shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, a targeted media campaign will draw all eyes on the street that’s always been the heart of the Village. It all will be highlighted in a one-day shopping event on November 18th, spotlighting the fantastic retail spaces of our participants and sponsors.
