Creative studio Dnco has worked with the City of San Francisco and a number of business leaders to create a new identity for the Californian city. The project was conceived in response to the exodus from business hubs – among them downtown San Francisco – since the rise of work-from-anywhere setups.

The logotype sees the two As in San Francisco blended into one diagonal upward stroke, which is designed to signal progress while also referencing the city’s famously hilly topography. The sloping lines have been carried through to a range of animated patterns and framing devices used across the identity.

The branding is far more in tune with the local tech sector that’s booming off the back of nearby Silicon Valley, rather than the thriving bohemian art scene it was once known for, which makes sense given the impetus behind the project and the stakeholders involved in it.

Although the visual identity seems geared towards start-up America, the 90-second film created for the launch campaign had room to incorporate a little more of San Francisco’s history. Directed by local filmmaker Nick Stone Schearer, the film features Jon Miller as narrator, who is known for his work in sports broadcasting, in particular as the main commentator for the San Francisco Giants baseball team.

dnco.com