The Carlisle & Finch Company is a Cincinnati treasure. They have designed and manufactured state-of-the-art searchlights for military, private, and commercial sea-craft and land security operations for more than 125 years. As they approach their 5th Generation of ownership, they stand proud of their accomplishments and heritage. To celebrate, we were asked to help them design a new Customer Experience Center (CXC) where visitors could learn about C&F’s history, capabilities, and spirit.
We squared off the typography and increased differences in line weight of the mark to make it more legible. For the full logo, which is inspired by the late nineteenth-century type found on paddle wheelers, we added “railroad tracks” to pay homage to their founding and give the lockup added structure. Then, we gave them a tagline, “Lighting the way forward since 1894”, to provide context to their business and pay homage to their past. With this new identity, we created brand guidelines that organize their logo, graphic elements, and story. We utilized these standards to develop the branded experience that pays tribute to their past, examines today’s products and capabilities, and looks into future innovations and markets for the C&F team.
The Customer Experience Center was divided into three sections, placing a hero C&F searchlight front and center. This acts as the lighthouse that all other content orbits around. It exemplifies the innovative mechanical and electrical engineering, combined with manufacturing excellence, that has been the DNA of everything C&F has produced. Light beams became a standard graphic device used throughout the brand experience. Abstract rays in the carpet delineate the different parts of the brand experience. Past, Present, and Future exhibits use artifacts, timelines, and 2D graphics to tell the complete C&F story. A projection screen at one end of the CXC plays custom-designed presentations for specific customers or general information videos for all audiences. Outside of the CXC, a large-scale “Ownable Wow” wall informs visitors and employees alike about Carlisle & Finch’s rich history, sharing facts that no one else can claim.
Together, the refreshed identity and new CXC pay homage to Carlisle & Finch’s rich history while helping to sell current products and building trust with their present–and future–clients.
Winner of the 2019 Cincinnati Design Awards. The CDA program recognizes the best design projects produced by Cincinnati-area architects, interior and landscape designers, community planners, and experiential graphic designers.
Brand Identity
Design Strategy
Experiential Graphic Design
Exhibit Design
Brand Identity
Design Strategy
Experiential Graphic Design
Exhibit Design
