Mackinac Island Free Press
Nostalgic vibes for an island news source
The Mackinac Island Free Press was created with the intent to thoughtfully and intentionally bring real news, from real people and events on the Island, to the community that cares most about it. So, the team needed a creative rollout strategy and intuitive identity to bring the energy of the Island to the digital screen.
Starting Out
Whether you've only visited or call Mackinac Island home, there's a consensus that this unique place has a certain "feel" to it. The Mackinac Island Free Press brand had belong without going unnoticed. We gave heavy consideration around elements that could be passively associated with the brand when shared in digital formats across multiple media platforms, without just slapping a logo on it. Then came the all-to-familiar challenge of staying within the constraints of a website builder offered through their content management site–a great way to keep things simple but limited in some types of customization, sometimes a real drag for brands that want to stand out.
Nautical Nuance
For the MIFP's visual identity, we ended up finding the perfect balance between a northern island feel and vintage undertones – heavily leaning into nautical stripes paired with written word, inky custom illustrations, and a muted, but eye-catching, color palette. We brought a physical nature to a digital brand by using paper scraps and imperfect textures overlapping photos of real locales and people, a perfect format for posting on social platforms. We opted for a slightly edgier version of gothic-style lettering commonly used in iconic newspapers for centuries, paired with a serif lettering to shift the mood more modern. Custom illustrations pepper media when most effective, offering enough variety to keep things interesting, yet focused.
Strategically Ongoing
Repeatable templates for the Mackinac Island Free Press were built with a lean, small team in mind. It called for post and newsletter designs that would allow for a drag-and-drop-style process for quick content creation, without feeling redundant, boring or low-quality to followers and viewers. We were extremely purposeful about regular updates and checkins to be able to react to audience sentiment and reception quickly, and the publication has recently launched and continues to gain traction.
Follow Mackinac Island Free Press on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, and subscribe to their email list via their website at MackinacIslandFreePress.com for weekly content and news from real islanders and events.
