Celebrating 1776!
A category-defining digital presence for a next-gen auto insurtech provider
OVERVIEW
Celebrating 1776! is an educational and performing arts organization founded by former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Its flagship initiative is a summer-long production of 1776: The Musical, performed by two rotating casts of Philadelphia-area high school students at the esteemed Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA).
While the organization came to us with its name and mission already locked in, they needed help in creating and executing their visual identity and digital presence on an accelerated timeline, leading up to a public press event and the launch of their season of live performances.
PAIN POINTS & CHALLENGES
- The tone had to be bold and direct enough to stand out against the flood of America 250 content rolling out nationwide, without losing the warmth of a community arts program built around students.
- “Celebrating 1776!” is both the name of the parent organization and the rallying call for the anniversary itself, while 1776: The Musical is the specific production. The branding system needed to portray both meanings clearly for audiences that would encounter them in a program book, on a ticket, and in a press release (sometimes all at once).
SOLUTIONS: STRATEGY MEETS CREATIVITY
We brought their mission to life with a cohesive experience that welcomes and appeals to theatergoers, student performers, donors, and civic supporters alike.
Brand & Visual Identity
Starting with workshop-style brand and design discussions with the client team, we developed a bold primary logo system created to read as patriotic and celebratory without tipping into anniversary-fatigue cliché.
Because the production carries its own identity within the larger initiative, we developed a companion logo treatment for 1776: The Musical that stays visually connected to the parent Celebrating 1776! brand.
Website & Ticketing
We built the organization’s mobile-first WordPress website with top priorities that include:
- Seamless pathways to performance schedules and ticketing information
- Bios, galleries & storytelling that put students and leadership front and center
- Sponsor and partner recognition — with straightforward options for ongoing donations and support
The flexible design framework was created to continue growing, with cast and crew bios, behind-the-scenes content, and event details added as they became available in the weeks leading up to opening night.
A Full Collateral Suite
To support the launch, opening night gala, and full run of performances, we created a complete print and digital collateral system:
Animated digital and print Save the Date and formal invitations
A 36-page print gala program book and companion digital general season program embedded in the site as a flipbook
A trolley advertising wrap
A commemorative document signed by all cast and crew members and presented to President Joe Biden, one of several dignitaries in attendance on opening night
Rack card, tri-fold brochure, event signage, ticket vouchers, business cards, and letterhead
Every piece was built to work collaboratively and independently, so a donor at the gala, a parent reading a program book, and a student checking a ticket voucher all encounter the same consistent, bold identity.
Celebrating 1776! now has a digital ecosystem built to match the scale of the moment and a flexible platform ready to grow with their ongoing mission.
