new york but better
passion project

my role: creative direction, art direction, graphic design, brand design

I recently moved from LA to NYC. In this city, I’m more inspired, more creative, more driven. If anything is an advertisement for the law of inertia, it’s New York and LA – a body in motion stays in motion, and a body at rest stays at rest.

While on the job hunt (let’s be honest, job applications are a bore), I created this series as a way to prioritize the things that brought me to New York–a sense of wonder, whimsy and creative drive.

new york but better is a series of rebrands, campaigns or ideas inspired by exploring my neighborhood and the businesses and spaces that inhabit it. Let’s have a little fun!

CAVA

recently rebranded to give a more modern feel. when choosing this company, I didn’t know the brand had been updated because the physical space had inconsistent brand touch-points. I chose to bring a funkier, more energetic hand-drawn design to the fast casual brand that aligns with the brand story and imagery for a more consistent feel.

All images pulled from CAVA’s official brand deck and shot by NYC photographer Scott Semler

original sketches were brought into procreate before transferring to illustrator to vectorize

earlier logo variations

established in 2006, the brand still uses imagery that alludes to the founder. I imagined an updated version that matches the aesthetic for its target audience – young new yorkers.

branding elements include a sleek sans serif pairing, simple & whimsical illustrations, and bold colors.