The Castro

A tight new look for a San Fran legend

Since its birth as a neighbourhood movie theatre in 1922, The Castro catapulted itself to global fame as a treasured symbol of San Francisco’s unstoppable creative spirit and LGBTQ+ community. After two years of closure for a refurb, how to roar back to life?

The Brief

Lovers were invited to develop a new visual identity system for the Castro, honouring its iconic visual cues with graphic impact. Reborn into a challenging time in America, both for creativity and the LGBTQ+ community, we also had to capture a sense of defiance and hope.

A Shining Beacon

landmark and refuge

If you watch the movie ‘Milk’ starring Sean Penn, you’ll see the Castro’s iconic vertical ‘blade’ sign flashing stoically in the 1970s evening light. Almost lighthouse-like, it serves as a beacon of hope anchored in community, against a grim backdrop of anti-LGBTQ+ hostility.

Give Us a Sign

SHARPENING THE BLADE

The Castro team had been using a graphic representation of the iconic ‘blade’ sign, but it was cumbersome to work with. We reimagined how a graphic tribute approach could work, extracting the distinctive lettering and allowing new arrangements to make the name feel huge.

Gentle Signposting

PRACTICAL HELP

Beyond a supportive emotional tone, the brand needed to give really clear, uncomplicated guidance at an informational level. Funeral companies have been criticised for a lack of clarity in their pricing structures, so Poppy’s wanted to offer a refreshing level of clarity.

Talking Death

THE LAST TABOO

Most companies can talk openly about what they do, without fear of spooking their audience. But what if everyone’s afraid to talk? So many funeral companies manage to make the subject of death feel icky. A big focus for the Poppy’s brand was simply putting people at ease.