Cognoscenti Quarterly: Adaptation and collaboration
It’s common in the world of branding to offer set packages or a standardized way of engaging with clients. Yet while these fixed services can represent a specialized perspective on how to approach creative services, it often isn’t the right fit for independent businesses who have their own distinct operational norms and need an agency to act as a nimble extension of their in-house team.
As creatives who began our careers client-side at hospitality groups and design firms, a more flexible (if unconventional) approach to creative services comes naturally. We’ve not only developed brands and marketing assets—we’ve lived with their business impact over the long-term. That’s why a core principle of our studio is customizing proposals to meet clients where they are, leveraging our process and expertise to address their specific business needs.
Part of this adaptive approach is working with each client’s existing team structure, and in the case of this newsletter’s featured projects, that meant navigating input from multi-person leadership teams, as well as external project partners. In turn, much of our work was focused on balancing the priorities of these varied stakeholders, while also being willing to push back for the overall benefit of the brand. It’s a complex, collaborative dance that doesn’t fit within a standardized framework—but we think the results speak for themselves.
THE WHIT
New Orleans, Louisiana
Brand Positioning, Naming, Visual Branding, Core Messaging, Website Design (In Progress)
We connected with the new owners and operators of this landmark Garden District mansion when they were early in the stages of rehabilitating the property, which they sought to reopen as a coffee, tea and cocktail salon, indoor-outdoor event space and 15-room hotel. Joining the project in this early phase allowed us to interface directly with the F&B director and the interior design team, bringing nuanced insights to our parallel creative processes. Ultimately, the name we developed for the property—inspired by Walt Whitman’s influential sojourn in New Orleans—marked a shift in the leadership team’s vision, leading to a second (ongoing) round of brand work to further refine the concept. Nearly two years into this collaboration, we’re excited to finally preview The Whit and to share a deeper dive into the research and inspiration behind this multifaceted hospitality brand.
WAYMARK OUTDOOR DESIGN
Denver, Colorado
Brand Positioning, Naming, Visual Branding, Core Messaging, Website Design, Collateral
After purchasing an award-winning landscape design firm with 25+ years of experience, this entrepreneurial client was seeking a holistic brand refresh and name change. Working in tandem with ownership, their lead designer and other marketing contractors, our role was to identify differentiating opportunities within the local market, articulate the team’s unique approach and develop a modern, eye-catching brand that better aligns with the quality of their designs. We then implemented that brand in a wide range of collateral—from sales booklets and email campaigns, to car wraps and yard signs. On the heels of Waymark’s public launch, we’re thrilled to dive into the details of this creative collaboration, which represents one of the more comprehensive rebranding projects in our portfolio.
ROSA’S DINER
Washington, DC
Brand Positioning, Visual Branding, Core Messaging, Design Direction
Housed within the Moxy Hotel in downtown D.C., this restaurant concept was developed in tandem with both a passionate ownership group and an experienced team of operational consultants. We were asked to provide comprehensive creative direction, going beyond branding to influence tangible elements of the interior design and guest experience. Our brand strategy was also informed by existing physical and operational constraints—developing a concept for a nostalgia-driven, Latin-influenced diner within a historic Washington DC row home, while also considering the adjacent Moxy hotel presence and Lucha Rosa rooftop bar. The resulting brand evokes a sense of eclectic, yet curated taste, aiming to feel like a family-run restaurant while addressing the practical needs of both travelers and local residents.
CULTURE STUDY ⊹ Sea Ranch, California
Housed within the Moxy Hotel in downtown D.C., this restaurant concept was developed in tandem with both a passionate ownership group and an experienced team of operational consultants. We were asked to provide comprehensive creative direction, going beyond branding to influence tangible elements of the interior design and guest experience. Our brand strategy was also informed by existing physical and operational constraints—developing a concept for a nostalgia-driven, Latin-influenced diner within a historic Washington DC row home, while also considering the adjacent Moxy hotel presence and Lucha Rosa rooftop bar. The resulting brand evokes a sense of eclectic, yet curated taste, aiming to feel like a family-run restaurant while addressing the practical needs of both travelers and local residents.
WORK IN PROGRESS ⊹ Upscale Multifamily
Located in a uniquely walkable, urban-meets-rural neighborhood, this multifamily concept was conceived with a higher quality of design and more robust amenities package than is typically seen in the Northern Colorado market. At the same time, the development team sought to appeal to the approachable, down-to-earth identity of the area, rather than imposing a self-important sense of sophistication. In turn, we rooted our naming and brand work in the realm of established heritage and agrarian Americana, simultaneously elevating and preserving the small town values of this rapidly evolving rental market.
EDITORIAL WORK ⊹ Edible Magazine Feature
We were thrilled to make the cover of Edible Denver for the magazine’s 2026 relaunch. In our article, “Tortilla Renaissance”, we dive into an exploration of more traditional, artisanal tortilla-driven concepts and a growing industry-wide appreciation of masa as an ingredient. Thank you to Chef Ras at Xiquita, as well as Ben and Rich at Raquelita’s, for allowing us to feature your expertise and craftsmanship!
RECENT PRESS ⊹ Foundry Talks Podcast
Carly was recently featured on Foundry Talks: The Hospitality Podcast, peeling back the layers on our process to share insights and anecdotes from a few recent projects. Among the frequent themes was the idea that we (and even our clients!) liken our approach to “brand therapy,” digging beneath surface-level inspiration to get to the more meaningful why that drives our clients’ work.