In 2017, the newly instated executive team of The Chicago Sun-Times decided the paper needed a new look – this time, one that would stick. After several rebrands over the last 20 years, the paper was still struggling to retain readership and address the exploding demand for a strong online presence.

In developing the design approach, the Ogilvy485 team and I dove deep into the history of the Sun-Times, an institution that had dedicated its existence to the hardest-working city in America for almost 70 years. The system not only needed to be bold, fresh, and web-friendly, but it also needed to be easily adoptable by the Sun-Times’ in-house design team with little oversight. And of course, it needed to feel distinctively Chicago.

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The final brand system is reflective of the paper itself: bold, gritty, brutally clear, and most importantly, hard-working, with improved navigation and a consistent approach to color and typography.