#ShopBleecker – Creative Direction for Greenwich Village brick and mortar

By DESIGN GROUP ITALIA

Design Group Italia has created the art direction for #ShopBleecker, a coalition of storefronts to combat the rising vacancy issue on Bleecker Street. Inspired by the people that work on the street, they highlight shopkeepers as a symbol of vitality. The event runs all November. More info at www.shopbleecker.nyc

#ShopBleecker is a coalition of storefronts to combat the rising vacancy issue on Bleecker Street
DGI is proud to have contributed to the GVCCC with a creative direction, which reminds everyone that Bleecker Street is an incomparable place to eat, shop, and play.  Our brand strategists and designers have highlighted shopkeepers as the symbol of the street’s vitality. In fact, their black and white portraits are the driving force behind the visual, just as they are the driving force in the street itself. We then continued to develop naming, visuals, and imagery for #ShopBleecker’s physical and digital presence.

Attracted to the pure creative energy of Greenwich Village,
Design Group Italia opened its New York office just blocks from the legendary Bleecker Street in 2015. From the Beat Generation to the LGBT Movement, the Village bursts with history and creativity, and with #ShopBleecker, we are reminding everyone that Bleecker Street is the center of all this: an incomparable place to eat, shop, and play.  

The challenge: Online and big box commerce transforms the way we shop and live  
Even with all its history and rich culture, Bleecker Street is not immune to the threats of online and big box commerce. On the contrary, factor in the ever-increasing rents, and we see why more and more empty storefronts are appearing.

– The vacancies are unfathomable and must be combated in some way. If citizens do not support their own streets, then we can say good-bye to our cities’ vitality, says Gabriel Zangari, managing and design director at DGI NYC Office.

The solution: A local initiative to celebrate the people that make the city
We teamed up with the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce for #ShopBleecker, an initiative reminding everyone that Bleecker Street is still one of the best places in the city to shop, eat, and play.  

The results
The elegant visual identity helped the GVCCC to collect sponsors and well-needed funds to get the initiative off the ground. It is particularly impressive that the identity worked seamlessly with both local and international retailers. Paul Smith and Nars, which sell in all the world, become top tier sponsors, as well as Sunni Spencer and Inaya, two local boutiques run by owners.

Our Street. Our People.  Art Direction and Creative consultation to create attention
Working with the GVCCC, we curated art direction and creative aspects, starting with a poignant insight: Bleecker Street is made by the people that live, work, and sweat it every day. Without these amazing individuals, the street would be anonymous like any other, so this became our differentiator from online and big box retailers, and engaged shopkeepers to become our symbol, our heroes. Soon we coined, ‘Our Street. Our people.’ and adopted a black and white Manhattanite portrait style with photographer Adam Garelick. The art direction then overlays simple frames to organize written information and create an elegant and realist image- a true portrait of Greenwich Village.

Our brand strategists and designers have highlighted shopkeepers as the symbol of the street’s vitality. In fact, their black and white portraits are the driving force behind the creative direction, just as they are the driving force in the street itself. We then continued to develop naming, visuals, and imagery for #ShopBleecker.

Other info on the event
For the month of November, 2017, Bleecker street will be unmissable, with raffles, giveaways and tours augmenting it’s already world-class shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, a targeted media campaign will draw all eyes on the street that’s always been the heart of the Village. It all will be highlighted in a one-day shopping event on November 18th, spotlighting the fantastic retail spaces of our participants and sponsors.

Compliments of DESIGN GROUP ITALIA – NEW YORK, a member of the EACCNY