The Challenge: Generate new buzz around old buildings about to undergo restorations to turn the clock back more that 100 years

The Stevens & Smith Historic Site project already had a brand in place when NBD met them in 2008. The problem was very few people knew that five buildings surrounding the new Convention Center, along Queen and Vine Streets, were actually part of an historic preservation project to restore the façades to their appearances when they were owned by Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith.

Part of the challenge for The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County was that they needed to let the public know what was going on at the historic site, but they also needed to convey that the buildings were available for commercial lease. Working with the existing branding, NBD created 17 large outdoor banners — some as tall as 20 feet — that would adorn the five historic buildings. The larger-than-life images of Stevens and Smith, along with the slogan “discover the past, engage the future” helped to draw media attention, pique the community’s curiosity and broadcast the commercial viability of the site.