Pen + Brush

THE CHALLENGE

This 124-year-old stalwart, dedicated to promoting the work of emerging, professional, and mid-career women in the literary and visual arts, came to us for a total brand refresh. They needed it all, from a comprehensive aesthetic redesign, to a completely fresh web experience, to a digital and print campaign.

The challenge? How do we find a current and authentic voice that will still speak to the Pen + Brush core constituency of donors, woo seasoned curators and, at the same time, attract a new, younger generation of female artists? 

THE INSIGHT

Rock the boat without capsizing it. Be bold, like the 12 decades and counting of Pen + Brush artists who have come before. Because you get what you give.

THE SOLUTION

We created an omni-channel campaign that speaks cross generationally to female artists and curators alike in a language and style that is at once familiar but also possesses a uniquely Pen + Brush twist. Then we engineered and redesigned the web experience from the ground up, adding an innovative, easy to use track-and-maintain system for work submissions.

THE RESULT

Literary and visual arts submissions increased beyond expectations. Digital and print advertising increased brand awareness threefold, capturing a whole new audience for a whole new generation of female artists. The Grrrly Show marches on…