Something to Write Home About
Summary
Think Iowa City had all the assets, but the brand’s visual appearance and voice didn’t match the community’s pride or personality. Surrounded by big-name neighbors, their story wasn’t breaking through. Together, we built a refreshed brand and website rooted in authenticity, equal parts academic, creative, and game-day bold. The result? Messaging, design, and strategy that finally sound and feel like Iowa City.
Client
Think Iowa City
Scope
Brand Identity
Campaign Title
Brand Refresh & Website Development
Results
12%
increase in total web users
8%
increase in website sessions
3.5M+
Leisure Campaign Impressions
6.7K+
Sports Campaign Clicks
339K+
Sports Campaign Impressions
REWRITING IOWA CITY’S NARRATIVE
Think Iowa City had all the right ingredients: distinct neighborhoods with real personality, a global literary rep, and a university buzz that doesn’t just show up, it takes over. But their brand wasn’t capturing that reality. In a region surrounded by well-known neighbors, Iowa City’s story risked getting lost in the noise. The solution was more than a refresh; it was a reset. Together with Think Iowa City, we built a smarter strategy, one that carved out space for the city’s own identity while still honoring its ties to the university. What emerged was a brand built on clarity, curiosity, and confidence.
UNCOVERING THE CORE OF IOWA CITY
We started with getting to the core of who Iowa City really is, not just a place on a map, but a feeling. Together, we immersed ourselves in Iowa City through a boots-on-the-ground familiarization trip. Spending time in the destination with the people who know it best helped us build a smarter and stronger brand that feels optimistic, safe, energetic, and refreshingly true to the community.
BUILT IN SYNC SO EVERYTHING CLICKS
The brand and website weren’t built in silos but rather in sync, as co-authors of the same story. As the brand took shape, it gave the website clear tone, voice, and structure; and in return, designing the site helped sharpen what the brand needed to say and how it needed to show up. The brand became more grounded and expressive, the site more intuitive, engaging, and connected to the community it represents.
CARVING OUT IOWA CITY’S IDENTITY
Iowa City isn’t just a college town or a literary enclave, it’s both, fully and unapologetically. That nuance became our foundation. We built a brand voice that could flex between the roar of a packed stadium and the hush of a poetry reading without losing its footing. One of the biggest lifts? Creating space for the city to stand apart from the university while still playing in the same arena. The brand now complements campus energy without blending into it—showing up with its own identity, and syncing only when it adds power, especially during key moments like football season and convention travel.
THE BRAND NOW READS LIKE IOWA CITY
The new identity introduced a refreshed look, voice, and tagline: Something to Write Home About. Every element—from fonts and colors to handwritten-inspired illustrations and interactive maps—ties back to that same throughline: authentic, vibrant, optimistic, and unmistakably Iowa City. The brand refresh brought clarity across platforms and now resonates with both residents and visitors and gives the city a personality as unique as its story.
