Winston & Winnifred
residential apartments, charlotte, nc
logo & alternative marks
illustration
bACKGROUND
The Winston and The Winnifred are two distinct multi-family apartment blocks located at different (but equally enviable addresses) in the colorful, creative neighborhood of South End in Charlotte, NC. Streets bursting with restaurants, breweries, artists and musicians. Owned and managed by the same folks, both properties share a similar brand ethos and aesthetic, but have different target demographics. The Winston is elevated, sophisticated, and in a quieter neighborhood. The Winnifred is more casual, and in the thick of the downtown bustle.
In an effort to optimize online and social marketing efforts, the owners wondered what it might look like to create an umbrella brand that could house both properties online - one website, joint social media accounts, etc. I was hired in the early stages of this conversation. We all quickly agreed that the smooth alliteration of both names lent itself easily to the ampersand compound, Winston & Winnifred, that could be used in conjunction with either brand to intuitively identify each as one of a pair.
LOGO MARK
The logomark and alternate marks are stylised from the base font, Corner One, a soft, vintage sans serif with rounded edges and geometric shapes, intentionally chosen to mimic and blend with several "secondary" fonts used in the various logo marks and stamps of both properties. (This was to avoid visual conflict or competition with the individual property logos, which use a variety of elaborate serif and script fonts.) Several alternate marks were provided, to be used as stand alone marks or in concert with the individual property marks
The hounds
I wanted the parent brand to have some sort of a unique, interesting graphic that could be used with or without the logo, and that captured both the unity and the dichotomy of the two properties. I finally landed on a custom illustrated motif - a pair of Plott Hounds, the state dog of North Carolina. They are elegant hunting dogs known for being loyal, affectionate, and protective family companions. Friendly and stately, they were an excellent choice for this brand.
"Winston" wears a graceful collar, while "Winnifred" sports a more relaxed bandana, true to the characteristics of their respective namesakes. The hounds make a composite unit, symmetrical in its visual weight. They may also be used individually to respresent each of the two properties.
